Google Map Maker now available in the US

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Google Map Maker now available in the US

lammert

9:15 am on Apr 19, 2011 (gmt 0)

Today Google announced [googleblog.blogspot.com] that their Map Maker product which allows everyone to edit the maps available in Google Maps and Google Earth is opened in the United States.

Today we’re opening the map of the United States in Google Map Maker for you to add your expert local knowledge directly. You know your neighborhood or hometown best, and with Google Map Maker you can ensure the places you care about are richly represented on the map. For example, you can fix the name of your local pizza parlor, or add a description of your favorite book store.

OldIrish

12:57 pm on Apr 19, 2011 (gmt 0)

Excellent. One more giant data mining tool for Google and it's preferred big brand corporate media buddies. First they let the data build up then comes the jolly harvest.

J_RaD

2:12 pm on Apr 19, 2011 (gmt 0)

help us make our maps better for free, so we can profit more!

loner

2:35 pm on Apr 19, 2011 (gmt 0)

Folks have to have something to do at work.

wheel

2:37 pm on Apr 19, 2011 (gmt 0)

Bah. Open street maps is where it's at. I just downloaded a free gps app using their data, it's as good as anything Google has. And it's free as in free. Not free as in help google out.

henry0

2:38 pm on Apr 19, 2011 (gmt 0)

And if you don't like your competitor store... see where I go, how will G make sure you are the person you say you are, such as the store owner!

Sgt_Kickaxe

2:55 pm on Apr 19, 2011 (gmt 0)

I hope Google Panda smacks their own project for having too much user generated content.

walkman

5:48 pm on Apr 19, 2011 (gmt 0)

1. this will never rank thanks to panda.
2. goog will steal every bit of inf from you to put on g places.

SEOMike

6:25 pm on Apr 19, 2011 (gmt 0)

I find it VERY interesting that you can look through the revision history of a listing and "rate" the edits. In some cases you can see the Google Account of the person who edited the listing - including the Google QA reviewers themselves!

J_RaD

8:04 pm on Apr 19, 2011 (gmt 0)

geez im seeing tons of people listing their own house as a place of business! ugh! this looks like a mess!

ergophobe

3:57 pm on Apr 20, 2011 (gmt 0)

help us make our maps better for free,

Sure, but on the other hand, Google maps are abysmal for my area - businesses are placed literaly 20 miles away from where they should be. We were being located in a location that is nothing but a retaining wall. But major, semi-famous businesses that my wife works with were being located 7 and 15 miles from their actual location (and, ironically, close to our house) and we were regularly fielding questions from people arriving at our deadend residential street asking for these businesses.

We have all sent info to Google trying to get them to fix these things and had to wait years to see it integrated into the database. If there had been a $100 expediting fee to get this done, I'm sure a lot of people around here would have paid it.

So yeah, if I can go in and fix the map for a business I own or represent, you bet I'll improve Google's map for free.

wheel

4:23 pm on Apr 20, 2011 (gmt 0)

Not me. I'm a rebel. in fact the last couple of mornings I've been updating my town in openstreet maps. Got the beer store, gas station and coffee shop already located!

J_RaD

1:05 am on Apr 21, 2011 (gmt 0)

you mean you put the gas station at the beer store and the gas station at the coffee shop!