Google Maps is becoming a bit like a social network

Google is turning Maps into a bit of a Social network. The firm has long since had a Local Guides feature where users were encouraged to post photos and share comments and reviews about places they visited around them.

Now Google will let you follow Local Guides so you can see their recommendations proactively If you like what Person X has been saying, then it makes sense for the firm to let you see what else they have to say about local restaurants, bars, parks and so on. It is kind of a FourSquare/Yelp style of thing, but it makes perfect sense. Google has the data, it has the users, and you’re more likely to be using Maps than either of those two apps.

“People in Bangkok, Delhi, London, Mexico City, New York, Osaka, San Francisco, São Paulo and Tokyo will soon see top Local Guides featured in the For You tab of the Google Maps app. When you follow one of these Local Guides, their recommendations will be surfaced to you in Google Maps, so you can get inspired with ideas of things to do and places to go,” Google said this week.

The new feature isn’t live yet, at least on my device, but Google says that it’ll be rolling out pretty soon.