Google Maps Widget – Best Google Maps Plugin – WordPress plugin Free download
Google Maps Widget – Best Google Maps Plugin
Description
Tired of buggy & slow Google Maps plugins that take hours to setup? With Google Maps Widget you’ll have a perfect map with a thumbnail & lightbox in minutes! No nonsense Google maps – we know you’re in a hurry! Join 100,000+ happy Google maps users. If you’ve already switched to Gutenberg grab our free Google Maps Gutenberg Block plugin.
Check out some examples on the Google Maps Widget site or give us a shout on Twitter @WebFactoryLtd.
General Google Maps Widget options
title
address
Thumbnail Google map options
Google Maps Widget thumbnail uses the Google Maps Static Maps API. It loads the entire google map in only one request compared to 20+ requests it takes other Google maps plugins to load them. This ensures your site loads as fast as possible!
Custom google map size – map width & map height
Choose any google map type you prefer – road map, satellite map, terrain map & hybrid map
Plenty of google map color schemes – default, bright, gowalla, gray, midnight, refreshed, ultra light, mapbox + 11 extra & any custom google map style in PRO
zoom level
pin type
pin color
pin size
pin label
custom map pin icon – any image can be used
1500+ map pins library in PRO
link type – lightbox map, custom URL, replace thumbnail map with interactive google map (PRO), immediately show interactive google map (PRO) or disable link
image format
google map language
hide widget title
text above google map
text below google map
Interactive Google map options
Interactive google maps loads in a lightbox or as an in-place replacement for the thumbnail Google map if your using Google Maps Widget PRO. It has all the standard interactive google map features users are accustomed too.
lightbox size – map width & map height (auto-adjusted on smaller screens) or fullscreen map in PRO
map mode – place + in PRO: directions, search, view & google street view
map type – road & satellite
map color scheme – 15 map styles & any custom google map style in PRO
pins clustering – PRO feature
map zoom level
lightbox skin – light, dark + 20 extra in PRO
lightbox features – close on overlay click, close on esc key, close button & show map title
map language
header text
footer text
Shortcode
by using the [gmw id=”#”] shortcode you can display the google map in any page, post, or custom post type (PRO feature)
Multiple Pins
full clustering and filtering support for pins on Google maps – demos available on site
you can add unlimited pins with custom markers and descriptions to thumbnail and interactive Google maps (PRO feature)
every map pin has the following options: show on the map thumbnail and/or interactive map, set custom map pin image, set on-click behavior: open custom description bubble, open URL in new/same tab or do nothing
PRO version of Google Maps Widget offers more than 50 extra features and options including multiple map pins support, map pin clustering, pins library, skins, export, import and widget cloning features, Google Analytics integration and premium, USA based support. Read more about the PRO version on the official Google Maps Widget site.
Showcase & What others say about Google Maps Widget
see a live example of Google Maps Widget showing off server locations around the world on Bitcatcha
voted on the Top 100 List by WordPressian
made it on the Tidy Repo as “well supported Google Maps plugin”
reviewed 5/5 by Web Smush
one of 3 best Google map plugins by The Torque Mag
“an easier way to add Google maps to your site” says WP Beginner
Design Crazed puts in on the top 20 Google maps list
InkThemes shows how easy it is to use Google Maps Widget
IndexWP calls it a “handy google maps plugin”
A Painless Guide For Adding Google Maps In WordPress by WHSR
Google Maps Widget Translators (thank you!)
English – original 🙂
Swedish – Sofia Asklund
Spanish – Jesus Garica
Croatian – Gordan from Web factory Ltd
German – Karimba
French – Karimba
Chinese simplified – Wyeoh
Chinese traditional – Wyeoh
Dutch – Arno
Ukrainian – Victor Shutovskiy
Serbian – Ogi Djuraskovic from FirstSiteGuide
Russian – Ivanka
License info
Select2 v4, licensed under MIT
Colorbox 1.6, licensed under MIT
Screenshots
Installation
Follow the usual routine to install Google Maps Widget
Open WordPress admin, go to Plugins, click Add New
Enter “Google Maps Widget” in search and hit Enter
Plugin will show up as the first on the list, click “Install Now”
Activate & go to Appearance – Widgets to configure Google Maps Widget
Or if needed, upload manually
Click to Download the plugin.
Unzip it and upload to wp-content/plugin/
Open WordPress admin – Plugins and click “Activate” next to the Google Maps Widget plugin
Configure the Google Maps Widget under Appearance – Widgets
FAQ
Who is this plugin for?
For anyone who needs a map on their site in 5 seconds.
Google Map shows the wrong location
Write the address differently, or more precisely. Make sure you enter the street, town and country name. If necessary enter lat/lng coordinates instead of the address. Use the numeric notation, eg: “40.7127, 74.0059”
How to generate the API key
We understand that creating a Google Maps API key is frustrating but it takes less than a minute and it’s something Google requires.
Follow wizard step #1 – login with any Gmail account, click next/confirm a few times with the default settings & copy the Google Maps API key you see on the screen; it’s the key you need. Then use wizard step #2, select the same “My Project” project from the list and that’s it. Save the key in Google Maps Widget settings.
If you want to protect your API key by using the “Accept requests from these HTTP referrers (web sites)” option in Google Console make sure to add your domain in these two formats: *.mydomain.com/* and mydomain.com/* and wait a few minutes until Google makes the necessary changes.
If that didn’t help read our detailed guide on how to create a Google Maps API key.
Google map thumbnail works but lightbox won’t open on click
You probably have Fancybox JS and CSS files included twice; once by the theme and second time by Google Maps Widget plugin. Remove one instance of files. If that’s not the case then you have a fatal JS error that’s preventing execution of other JS code. Hit F12 in Firefox or Chrome and have a look at the debug console. If there are any red lines – it’s a fatal error.
The Google map is not working!!! Arrrrrrrrr
Open a new thread in the support forums but please bear in mind that support is community based and we do this in our spare time.
How do I get Google Maps Widget Pro?
Simply visit gmapswidget.com and purchase the GMW PRO. Yearly and lifetime licenses are available.
I’ve installed the plugin, now what?
In WordPress admin open Appearance – Widgets and add a Google Maps Widget to a sidebar. And make sure you follow instructions on how to generate a Google Maps API key. Without it maps won’t work.
How do I put a Google map on my page/post?
In order to show your Google map in your page or post, simply copy the shortcode supplied and paste it into your page or post. This feature is available only in GMW PRO.
I want to use Google Maps but don’t have WordPress
Try Nifty Maps – a comprehensive Map Builder for any website
