How to Add an Interactive Map to WordPress

Interactive Maps are becoming more and more popular with Internet users. When you can add an Interactive Map to your site, your business gains more competitive advantages. So what is an interactive map? And how do you add an interactive map to a WordPress website? You will find the answer in this article from Mona Media. Let's find out!

What is an Interactive Map?

An interactive map (also called an Interactive Map) is a map that uses GIS – Geographic Information Systems. So the data on an interactive map is updated accurately in real time.

With an Interactive Map, users can navigate and do things like zoom in and out, tilt, rotate, find routes and pinpoint specific locations. In some cases you can also query data or view statistical reports (for example traffic jams, economic or social conditions) through the Interactive Map.

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Why add an interactive map to your website?

Adding an Interactive Map to your website gives your business many competitive advantages. It is especially useful for travel agency sites and retail sites.

Here are some key benefits of interactive maps you should know:

• Helps keep users on your website longer: An Interactive Map is one of the elements that attract users and encourage them to interact and stay on the page longer. That means longer visit time and a better lowering the bounce rate (bounce rate) for your website.
• Helps reach new customers: With an Interactive Map, you can reach local customers more easily.
• Helps improve your Google ranking: If your website has an interactive map, it is a factor that helps Google trust your site more, which improves your ranking. It is one of the methods that make up the quality of an SEO service. To understand more about SEO and why it matters for a website, see this link: https://mona.media/dich-vu-seo/
• Builds trust and convenience for customers: With an interactive map, customers can see the basic information about your company, as well as the address and how to get to your store when they want to buy your products or services.

How to add an interactive map to your website

There is more than one way to add an Interactive Map to your site. One of the simplest and most popular is Google My Maps. You can also use other free or paid tools to create your own map.

Method 1: Use Google My Maps

Step 1: Go to the website Google My Maps with your Google account.

Step 2: Click the “Create a new map”.

Step 3: The system takes you to the map editing page. Here you can create your own map by choosing a base map (for example, a map of Ho Chi Minh City) and adding the location of your store or company.

Every marked place is saved as a layer. You can edit, add, delete, write descriptions, add photos or videos, or rename places however you like.

(*) Google My Maps also provides a toolbar so you can add routes, markers, measure distances and more.

Step 4: When you finish editing the map, go to “Share” -> Turn on “Enable link sharing” and “Public: everyone on the internet can find and access”. Only then can you share the map with everyone on your website.

Step 5: In the map editing menu, click the 3-dot icon and choose “Embed on my site” to get the Google Map embed code.

A dialog box will appear. Just copy the code.

Step 6: Go to the WordPress site where you want to add the Interactive Map. Then, in the Text tab, paste the map embed code and you are done.

Once done, the interactive map will show as in the image below:

Method 2: Use the free tool Snazzy Maps

Embedding Google My Maps takes little effort and is very easy. However, adding an interactive map this way has some drawbacks: limited features and fairly plain, limited map designs.

So for more customization, consider other interactive map tools. In this article, MONA introduces how to create a map with Snazzy Maps, a completely free and easy-to-use tool.

You can see the detailed guide below:

How to create a Google Maps API Key

First you need to create a Google Maps API Key. If you already have one, skip this section and go to the next.

Step 1: Go to Google Cloud Platform with your Google account.

Step 2: In the left menu bar, choose “API & Services” -> “Library”.

Step 3: The system opens the API library page. Find “Maps JavaScript API”, then click “Enable” to enable it.

Choose Maps JavaScript API

Click “Enable” to enable Maps JavaScript API

Step 4: After enabling, the system automatically goes to the “Google Maps Platform”page. Then choose “Credentials” -> “Create Credentials” -> “API Key” to create a new API Key.

Google will create the API Key automatically. Copy the API key it gives you to use.

How to create an interactive map with Snazzy Maps

Step 1: Go to the Snazzy Maps homepage at snazzymaps.com to sign up for an account.

Step 2: Log in, then choose “Build a map” to start creating a map.

Step 3: The system shows the map editing page. Here you can freely edit everything you want, such as:

• How the map is displayed (Snazzy Maps has hundreds of map styles in its library. You can pick an existing one or design your own).
• Map size and the address to mark.
• Color, image and size of the location marker icon.
• Map type and display language.
• Gestures and interactions allowed on the map.

Step 4: When you finish editing, choose the “Save” button to save the map. Then type a name for the map, paste the API Key you created earlier and save.

Step 5: Click the code symbol </> and copy the embed code Snazzy Maps provides.

Step 6: Finally, paste the embed code into the website where you want the interactive map, and you are done.

Some popular free tools for creating interactive maps

Besides Snazzy Maps, there are many other free tools that can help you create interactive maps quickly and effectively. MONA lists them below for you to explore:

• Map Chart
• Scribble Maps
• ZeeMaps
• Visme

After reading this article, have you got the answers you need about interactive maps? MONA Media hopes it gives you a clearer view of the Interactive Map and helps you create one for your own website with ease. With the benefits that interactive map brings to business websites, MONA wishes you the best in using it and getting the results you want!