Choosing a local tour provider

I usually start by using the pull-down menu on TripAdvisor for "things to do" in a particular location. There you'll find a listing of available day trip and tour providers who are based in whichever location you select. I see that they do have a few in Baku that might be of interest.
Sorting thru the reviews can be a daunting exercise but I've generally found those on TripAdvisor to be pretty trustworthy. That said, I usually start by reading the most negative comments first to see if there's a common thread of complaint that I need to be aware of.
Good luck.

I'm not much different than Robert. First I look for what I want to do. Tripadvisor has a pretty good list of things to see. Once I've settled on that, I consider how to see it? Sometimes, I'll negotiate with a taxi at a train station for transportation to and from a sight. Other times, it might be an organized tour.

The further you get off the beaten path, the more you will rely on individual tour guides and/or taxis as fewer organized group tours will be offered. If you have to do it on your own, you become your own tour guide and have to do advance research about the sights. Local tours may be offered through the TI (if there is one) but finding one in English probably won't be easy in the Caucuses.

Any tour operator offering an incentive for a good review is grossly unethical and I would never use them. What a racket that would be. Tour guide turf wars!
Frankly, have never even heard of such a horrible practice.

Ms. Jo, I agree, but there's really no way to know until afterwards. I once stayed in an Airbnb, and there were some issues (lack of hot water, very noisy neighbor). I addressed these with the host and was told if I wrote a good review he would credit me for a portion of the rental cost. I refused and wrote an honest review.

I usually start by reading the most negative comments first to see if there's a common thread of complaint that I need to be aware of.

Thanks Robert, that's a good suggestion.

Local tours may be offered through the TI (if there is one) but finding one in English probably won't be easy in the Caucuses.

Thanks Travel Boss. I'm actually finding a surprisingly large number of tour operators with English language tours in Azerbaijan, Georgia, and Armenia. Not as many as you'd find in Paris or Berlin or Amsterdam, but still enough that I have a lot of information to sift through. I don't want to wait until I arrive to book anything, though. I'm trying to make my arrangements in advance.

I had good luck with Alla tours in St. Petersburg. I would use them again. Maybe they offer tours in the Caucuses as well?

I had good luck with Alla tours in St. Petersburg. I would use them again. Maybe they offer tours in the Caucuses as well?

Thanks again, Travel Boss. I checked their website. It seems they only operate tours around the Baltic Sea.