Add Google Maps to Your WordPress Website or Blog with MapPress

Apr 1, 2010

If you are looking for a quick and easy way to add Google Maps to your WordPress website or blog, check out the MapPress plugin for WordPress.  There is nothing difficult about this plugin.

Here’s a screen shot of the interface that’s built right into the Dashboard editing window (left), and another of the MapPress Settings interface.

MapPress plugin – Google Maps for WordPress

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The hardest part about using MapPress is getting a Google Maps API key. For this, all you need is a Google account (same as a Gmail account). When you install the MapPress plugin, it will prompt you for your API key. If you don’t have one yet, MapPress provides a link to this Google Maps page where you can login to Google and get it, or else create a new Google account and then get the key. Once that’s done, you’re ready to build maps and embed them in your WordPress posts and pages like there’s no tomorrow!

I have spent the last few days working with the Google Maps API directly, trying to build some custom maps for a client. It’s amazing what you can do. By “you”, I mean skilled programmers who thoroughly understand JavaScript, a group I don’t fall into unfortunately. I know enough about JavaScript to get by, but it has been frustrating, because I see what’s possible. I just can’t quite get there yet.

After thrashing around with the API code, MapPress feels mighty good. You can put a semi-custom Google map into a page in under 10 minutes. And it’s super easy to make modifications after that if you need to.

MapPress is limited in a number of ways. For instance, you can’t use your own icon images. You have a selection of colors, but the icons are all the same size and shape. But for ease of use and basic features – the stuff you really need – MapPress can’t be beat.

On a scale of 1 to 5 stars, I give MapPress a 5 for easy setup, ease of use, and powerful features that will make you and your WordPress website or blog look GREAT.