Creating a Google Map

Part One: How to put your business on the map - literally.

In a personal capacity I have created a few Google Maps myself. I have been fascinated with maps myself from an early age and found Google Maps an extension of this.

Adding a map to your website is a useful addition to your company's contact page. It allows visitors to find your company most easily. Google Maps' tools are powerful enough to give directions to your company's office/factory/retail unit from your home. You can even view the factory's location by means of a satellite aerial view as well as in map form.

This tutorial will enable you to create a Google map and embed it onto your company's contact page.

Creating a map:

1. Sign up to Google Accounts or use your existing Google Account. If you already have a Googlemail/Gmail account click on the 'more' link and click 'even more >>' at the bottom of the pull-down menu;
2. On clicking the 'even more >>' link you should see a page entitled 'More Google Products'. Select 'Maps' and click on the title link;
3. On loading Google Maps you should see a map of the world. To find your location, type in for example 'Manchester'. Google Maps will zoom in towards the city famed for its footballing sides and The Hacienda;
4. On the left hand side of the map you should see your company's location and below it, links to other maps;
5. At the top left of the browser window, click the link entitled 'my maps'. You should see links to Google maps created by other users. Click the link entitled 'Create New Map'. Another window should emerge below the links enabling you to start work on your new map;
6. You should see a form below enabling you choose a suitable title for your map. Below this box is a second one for your description. The title could be your company name with the description used to depict the purpose of the map;
7. Below this box are the privacy settings. You can choose whether you would like to make the map available for public or private viewing. Click the 'Done' button;
8. Your map is almost complete. All you need to do is add a pinpoint to display your company's location or locations. Click the 'Edit' button to add your pinpoint;
9. After placing your pinpoint, start adding your company's details within the speech bubble. You can choose whether you wish to add text with or without text formatting properties or in code view;
10. The top right of the bubble includes a pinpoint icon. Click on the icon to choose from Google's range of pins. Click 'OK' when you are satisfied with the results;
11. Your map is complete. To confirm this, click 'Done'.

At this point we leave this part of the tutorial. The next one will focus on embedding the Google map to the contacts page of your website. Till then...


Mancunian1001, 09 July 2009.

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