Google Lat Long: Tip of the week

Tips for getting the most from Google Maps on iPhone

December 20, 2012

(Cross posted to Official Google Blog) Apple App Storeour site

Swipe to see more. In Google Maps a wealth of information is often just a swipe away. Whether you’re looking at search results or directions, you can swipe the bottom info sheet left and right to see other options. To get more details on any of the results, swipe that info sheet upward (or just tap it—that works too). Even with the info sheet expanded, you can swipe to see those other results.

Place a pin. Get more information about any location by just pressing and holding the map. The info sheet that pops up tells you the address, lets you save or share the place, and best of all, brings up...

Street View. By far the easiest way to get to Street View is placing a pin. Tap the imagery preview on the info sheet to enter into Street View, then explore! I recommend the look-around feature (bottom left button) which changes what you’re looking at as you tilt and move your phone.

the site

Posted by Vicky Tait, Consumer Operations, Google Maps

Just a Short URL away

August 23, 2011

URL ShortnerGoogle Maps

Click on the link button to create a Short URL for a locationrecently announcedPosted by Joshua Harrison, Software Engineer, Google Maps

31 Google Maps tips for smooth sailing through the holiday season

November 25, 2009

To help kick off your season right, we've put together a list of 31 Google Maps tips for life to help you to save time, look smart, and manage your travels efficiently. Start with the tips that are right for you, based on what type of expert you'd like to become: a Local Expert, Ace Navigator, Global Explorer, or Business Owner. You can try a tip a day for a month, or blast through them all at once. Here are my favorite tips from each section:Local Expert Tip #3Just keep searching

The markers on the map are color-coded, so you can tell which search is which. This is perfect for helping you pick the most efficient route to accomplish all your goals.Ace Navigator Tip #4: Check live and predictive traffic information
Traffic patterns are hard to decipher when you're driving out-of-town. For both highways and arterial roads, Google Maps provides live and predictive traffic information for any day of the week and time of the day, based on past conditions and live crowdsourcing. Plan your departure times to avoid traffic jams!Global Explorer Tip #6: A page for every place No matter how far from home your travels take you, with Google Maps on your side you can become an expert even in a foreign locale. By clicking on the "More Info" link in a business listing, easily learn more about any place on the map with information ranging from photos to reviews to store hours. A Place Page is like a webpage for every place in the world, organizing all the relevant information about it. Who wants blueberry pancakes in New York? I've never been there, but I'd now recommend Clinton Street Baking Co, which has the "best blueberry pancakes ever!" according to reviews.
Business Owner Tip #3: Add coupons to your Google business listing Cross your fingers that the economy is recovering, but even so, holiday shoppers are likely to be on the lookout for bargains. Google Insights for Search shows that searches for coupons are still up. By claiming your Google business listing through Local Business Center, you can create coupons that will appear alongside your business listing on Google Maps. Let Google users print your coupons and bring them to your business, or even show your coupons on mobile phones to attract customers on the go.Posted by Laura Melahn, Product Marketing Manager

Discover new places with related maps

September 17, 2009

Now that I've lived in San Francisco for almost a year, I've hit most of the big tourist attractions, but still don't quite feel like a local. There are still plenty of neighborhoods I've yet to explore, a list of restaurants I'm still dying to try out, and a whole lot of scenic views I haven't discovered. I've been using Google Maps from the day I moved here to get the lay of the land, find my way around, and master public transportation. Now that I'm a little better oriented, I've started figuring out different ways that Google Maps can help me explore.

I've found that searching for user-created maps can be a great way to get local flavor. When I do a regular search for "ice cream," I'll get a list of ice cream places in the city. But, when I click Show search options and then select "Related maps," I can find user-created maps showcasing their own favorite ice cream spots, complete with reviews and flavor recommendations. Doing a "Related maps" search for "scenic views" returned maps showing city spots with awesome views that I never knew existed. It's a great way to create your own customized city tour, taking advantage of local knowledge and user recommendations.

And, if a user has created a map that you particularly like, click their username to check out their Maps profile. There, you can find out if they've created any other maps you might be interested in. You can also share your recommended places with the world by creating a public My Map, that will show up in other users' search results. To learn more about My Maps, visit the Google Maps User Guide.

Posted by Sarah Gordon, Tips Guru

Tips and Tricks: Set up shop in the Local Business Center

June 25, 2009

When I'm hankering for a bite to eat in my neighborhood, business listings on Google Maps are one of the first places I look. Whether I'm checking the opening hours of my local coffee shop, or finding a phone number to make reservations at a new restaurant, I rely on Google Maps for accurate and up-to-date information about local businesses -- especially when it comes to picking a good place to grab dinner.

When a business owner has added and verified with the Local Business Center (you can tell, because the phrase 'Provided by the business owner' appears in the listing), I can find find plenty of additional details, photos and video that the business owner adds can help sway my choice of dining spot. And for business owners, there are obvious benefits: adding a verifying a business listing is the best way to help Google users find and connect with your business.

In addition to the Local Business Center User Guide, which is your one-stop shop for information about putting your business on Google Maps, the Local Business Center folks have recently put together a new list of tips and advice for tailoring your business listing to help even more users find you. It's a win-win situation: adding and verifying your business listing with the Local Business Center gives you control over the way your business appears in Google Maps. And, particularly in my case, it connects your business with customers who may be hungry for what you have to offer.

To get started, simply visit the Local Business Center (make sure you're signed in with your Google account) and click Add new business. If you already see your business listing in Google Maps and want to claim it as your own, follow the instructions here.

Posted by Posted by Sarah Gordon, Tips Guru

Tips & Tricks: Jog your memory with saved locations

May 14, 2009

For places I don't visit frequently, the hardest part about finding them on Google Maps can be remembering the right address. The dentist's office or a museum, for example -- places I've found on Google Maps before, but not quite recently enough to remember the exact address to search for a second time. Fortunately, when I'm signed in to my Google account, Google Maps automatically saves the addresses I search for. The Saved Locations list can hold up to 100 different places -- an indispensable address book that I add to each time I search for somewhere new.

To see what locations are on your list, sign into your Google account and click the small gray triangle just to the right of the search box. You'll see a list of a few of the locations you've searched for recently, as well as the option to enable or disable the automatic saving of your searches. Click Edit saved locations to see a full list of all your saved places. You can change a particular address by clicking Edit, as well as add a label. You can search using your saved labels just as you would an address; typing 'Jen's house' or 'Hardware store' can be a lot easier to remember than an address.

Finally, you can click the green arrow next to a saved location to set it as your default location -- it's the map you'll see whenever you sign into Google Maps, and it's useful if you usually look for places in the same area. It doesn't have to be a street address; you can set any location to be your default.

So, for addresses you search for repeatedly that seem to slip your mind, or a new place you want to save so that you won't have to remember it again, the Saved Locations ensures that racking your brain for an address will never hold you back from finding your way.

For more Google Maps tips and tricks, you can check out the Maps Water Cooler blog.

Posted by Sarah Gordon, Tips Guru

Tips & Tricks: Make the most of walking directions

April 30, 2009

As a city-dweller who loves getting around on on two feet, I was really excited when walking directions became available on Google Maps. In the year since then, having pounded the pavement in six different cities, I've used walking directions to map everything, from mad dashes to make appointments on time, to laid-back Sunday afternoon strolls. Haven't tried it out yet? Follow the instructions here. Then, check out these tips to walk smarter:
Turn on the Terrain layer.
If you've ever found yourself in a city with more hills than most, you'll know that a steep incline can turn a pleasant walk into an athletic event. Click 'Terrain' in the top right corner of the map to assess the elevation of the area you're looking at. It can help you decide what routes to avoid, and tip you off to some of your city's highest spots -- and best views

Take the scenic route with Street View.
Street View can help you hone your walking directions by allowing you to get a pedestrian's eye view of your route ahead of time. Simply drag the "Pegman" icon (it will be orange where Street View is available) to a point on the map, and you'll see street-level imagery of that place. Navigate using the arrow keys on your keyboard, or pick a different spot by dragging Pegman again in the overview map in the bottom right corner of the image. It's a great way to get an up-close look at the route you'll be treading.
Customize your directions.
Make walking directions your own by adjusting them just the way you want. Maybe you're looking to avoid a hill, or take a detour along a particularly pretty street you saw in Street View. Either way, customizing your route is easy. Simply click any point along the purple directions line and drag it to any location on the map. Google Maps immediately recreates the directions in both the map, and the written description in the left panel.

Posted by Sarah Gordon, Tips Guru

Tips & Tricks: Dude, where's the store?

April 2, 2009

If you've ever traveled to a new city, guidebook in hand, this experience may sound familiar: seeking out a restaurant or store that you've read about, you arrive at the correct address only to find that the place you're looking for has closed down. Sure, your frustration might subside when you notice the Happy Hour specials at the watering hole next door, but there's nothing to prevent others from also setting their course for the now-defunct digs.

Fortunately, you can help other users get the most up-to-date look at your neighborhood in Google Maps. Using the Community Edits features, consider doing a quick "Neighborhood Watch" -- cleaning up Google Maps where you live so those not so familiar with your stomping ground don't get sent on a wild goose chase. Here are a couple things you can do.

Remove a business that's permanently closed:

Search for the business that has closed down and click its marker. In the info window, click Edit > Remove Place.
When asked why the business should be removed, select "It is permanently closed."
Click Remove Place.

If the business in question is still around, but not quite at the spot marked on the map, just move the marker:
    1. Click Edit > Move marker in the info window for the business in question.
    2. Drag the marker to the actual location of the entrance of the business.
    3. Click Save.

Now, it might seem like giving anyone the ability to move markers and remove businesses could create a few more problems than it solves. That's why there are a couple of safety measures in place to make sure these edits make Google Maps more accurate, not less. Google investigates businesses flagged for removal, as well as markers that are moved over 200 meters. So while your changes may not appear right away, rest assured that we appreciate your help in keeping Google Maps a reliable tool for travelers and locals alike.

Posted by Sarah Gordon, Tips Guru

Tip of the week: Viewing KMLs in Google Maps

October 9, 2008

We post a bunch of KML and KMZ files on this blog, and usually tell you to download the file then open it with Google Earth. But don't forget that you can also open KML or KMZ files in Google Maps, and without a download. To open, just paste a URL hosting the file into the Maps search box and click 'Search'. (You can find the the URL by right-clicking on one of our links to a KML/KMZ, instead of downloading it). You can find more detail about what KML content is viewable in Google Maps in the Help Center, but this trick should come in handy for most of the files you find us talking about on the blog. For example, last year we blogged about a KML of air emissions created by the EPA -- and here it is in Google Maps!

Posted by Elaine Filadelfo, Lat Long Blog Team

Tip of the week: Smooth riding

September 11, 2008

Sometimes it takes more than a list of directions from Point A to Point B to get you where you need to go: you need to know what stands in between you and your destination. To get an idea of what to expect when you hit the road, click on the "Traffic" button on the top right when you get your directions (it will appear if we have traffic coverage in your area) -- and remember, you can see either live conditions or typical conditions at any given day and time. Here's a quick cheat-sheet about what exactly the colors indicate:

If a road is green it means traffic is moving well, 45 miles per hour or better
If a road is yellow, vehicle speeds are between 25 and 45 mph
If a road is red, traffic is slow - between 10 and 25 mph
If a road is red and black, that represents stop-and-go traffic (expect a wait)

You may also see information about traffic incidents that are causing congestion. Now that you have this information, what do you do when you see yellows and reds all over your route, short of just staying home? With the draggable route feature of Google Maps, you can easily move your route off those nasty red roads and over to friendly green ones and easily get updated directions. And for those times when it seems like all you're seeing red everywhere you look, look to see if we have transit directions in your area to find out how to get to Point B car-free!

Posted by Aaron Stein, Lat Long Blog Team

Tips for getting the most from Google Maps on iPhone

Just a Short URL away

31 Google Maps tips for smooth sailing through the holiday season

Discover new places with related maps

Tips and Tricks: Set up shop in the Local Business Center

Tips & Tricks: Jog your memory with saved locations

Tips & Tricks: Make the most of walking directions

Tips & Tricks: Dude, where's the store?

Tip of the week: Viewing KMLs in Google Maps

Tip of the week: Smooth riding

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