Embed a Google Map on your website in minutes
Posted 3 September 2007 at 8:28AM by Simon Dickson in Website development
A new service from Google makes it embarrassingly easy to put a customised map on your website. And with more and more people turning to the internet first when trying to locate a local business, what better way to tell people exactly where you are.
For a couple of years now, developers have been able to sign up for free use of Google's technology: but to get anything out of it, you need quite a detailed knowledge of HTML, javascript and all that. Earlier this year, Google introduced a 'My Maps' function, allowing users to annotate and share their own maps without technical knowledge; but you could only access the maps within the Google interface. Now they've added a new YouTube-style function, allowing you to embed the map on any page you like, using the HTML code they'll supply. And yes, again, it's free.
Go to Google Maps, and look in the top left corner of the screen: you'll see a tab labelled 'My Maps'. Press the button to create a new map, and once you've logged in, you'll see a standard Google Maps page with some extra tools for adding markers, lines and polygons. Search, move and zoom like you would on any Google Map, then when you see the spot you want to mark, click on the 'marker' button and stick it somewhere on the map - the X will mark the spot. You'll then get a popup window with basic text editing functionality: you'll probably want to say what the place is, and maybe add a photo or link.
Once you're done adding points, click on the 'link to this page' link in the top right. Copy the code from the window labelled 'Paste HTML to embed in website', then paste it into a page on your own website. Voila - a fully interactive Google Map, marked up with your own points. No programming, no API keys, nothing. (I do advise you to 'customise and preview' the map, though, as it isn't always obvious what view you're about to save.)
There's no end to the potential uses of this function. A retailer with several stores could show the exact locations, right down to the roof of the specific building. A delivery company could draw polygons to mark out its delivery areas. You could show your forthcoming sales events and exhibitions on a map, helping potential clients plan their visits. And it's all so easy, you almost have to find an excuse not to do it.
Tags: google, google maps, maps
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