While paper maps are still around (in fact some places even send you free maps), most of us use digital maps such as Google maps for finding our way around.
But Google Maps isn’t just a handy tool though. It can also be used to make money.
Here are a few simple yet effective ways you can use Google Maps to earn money.
You can make money with Google Maps by providing local marketing services.
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You can use Google Maps to find service-based businesses in cities that need help getting more customers.
This can include businesses like:
- Dentists
- Accountants
- Chiropractors
- Plumbers
- Chiropractors
- House cleaners
- Electricians
- Roofers
Basically, you assist brick-and-mortar businesses that provide a service with their marketing.
Open Google Maps and start searching for different types of businesses. You could type in “Dentist New York City” for example. Then, browse through the results.
The places that appear at the top of the results aren’t the ones that need help with marketing, because they’re already at the top of the results. However, if you keep scrolling you can find businesses that do need your help because by appearing low down on Google Maps, they aren’t getting as many customers as they could be.
Find business listings that aren’t well-optimized. So, ones with few details or pictures provided, and few to no reviews. Some businesses may not even have their phone number or website listed. Others may say “Own this business” or “Claim this business,” which means that the business owner hasn’t even requested ownership of their Business Profile.
You can help businesses get to the top of the map results by helping them to do things like claim their Business Profile and add details like their phone number, opening hours, and website.
Aside from that, you can also help local businesses to improve and update their websites with SEO. And, you can help them get on directory sites such as Yelp, Facebook, The Good Contractors List, and the Better Business Bureau.
You can charge local businesses for providing these services.
Be a map analyst
You can also make money from Google Maps by becoming a map analyst. You get paid to analyze maps. Companies like Lionbridge sometimes provide map analyst jobs. They work with search engines like Google to make sure that ads, maps, search results and other things are accurate, working properly, and appear correctly.
Check the Lionbridge website here to find work. You can also search Google for “Map analyst jobs.” Many map analyst jobs are home-based too. So, you can do this job from the comfort of your home.
Earn money as a local Google Maps Guide
You can sign up to be a Local Guide with Google. As a Local Guide, you can contribute content to Google Maps, and get points if it’s published.
You can collect points to increase your level and get Local Guide benefits.
You can earn points from many types of published content, such as:
- Reviewing and rating a place.
- Adding photos to a place
- Answering questions about a place
- Editing a place’s information or editing a road on the map.
- Adding a missing place.
- Checking facts about places nearby.
- Responding to Q&As
- Adding and exploring dishes
- Adding to Google Maps and earning badges.
Find out more about being a Local Guide here.
On this Reddit thread, Local Guides for Google Maps discuss the rewards they’ve gotten from the program:
- “Level 6 here. I’ve got Socks and a pin so far”
- “I’ve gotten like 2 pairs of socks, a bag, and a gift card (I think the gift card was a bug on their end though as it was supposed to be just a coupon code not a gift card)”
- “I don’t know when I started but I’m Level 8 with 36K points and 11k contributions and all I had had was some free Drive storage. Which expired a long time ago, I’m now a Google One user paid with Google Rewards so that is kind of free but certainly cash free.”
- “I seem to recall getting a free month or two of Google One, and a short subscription for New York Times, but that’s about it. Never a physical reward – I suspect they are mostly reserved for Americans”
- “The only things I’ve received are some vouchers for Deliveroo and Google books”
- “I got the socks a few years back, but haven’t received or heard of anything else since then.”
- “I got a little cloth bag. You guys with the socks are making me jealous. Although if you’re looking for a little extra from them Google Rewards will give you money for things on their app page, and more or less ask you the same questions.”
- “Lmao I just got free 4 months to New York Times games”
Google Maps: From Navigation to Income Generation!
As you can see, Google Maps isn’t just a tool that can be used to find locations and directions to your destinations. You can actually use it to make money.
And the best part is that you don’t have to choose, you can use all 3 options listed in this post as separate side hustles to help you make even more money with Google Maps.
