
Why You Need a Google API Key (and How to Create One)
User experience is everything, whether you’re trying to attract new business or provide a better experience to those you already serve. Adding a map to your website will allow visitors to know your exact location (not to mention how far you are from them)! With their responsive and robust map designs, Google maps are the gold standard for your website. You might have heard, though, that it’s a bit tricky to put a Google map on your site. While it might not be quite as simple as “plug and play,” it is a straightforward process. At CannaSiteCo., We’ve done this a ton of times so trust us when we say that you can learn how to create a Google Maps API Key for your website!
Creating an API Key for Your Site
Undoubtedly, the part that’s most intimidating to website owners who want to put a map on their blog is the API Key. The key is a way for Google Maps to seamlessly integrate with your site while also allowing you to provide valuable information to visitors on your site. The key allows you to show a single location, multiple locations or a range of locations where you’re offering your service. This is essential for brick-and-mortar businesses that want to drive traffic to their physical location.
Convenience for WordPress
If you’re a WordPress user, Google has made it even simpler for you to generate an API Key that you can use to get your map up and live on your site! While this is a simple process, you may still want to check out our tutorial to see how to use the API Key generator.
What You’ll Need
Getting started only requires you to have a few things. You’ll need a website (obvs), a dedicated Google account and a payment method (don’t worry, Google gives a $300-credit free trial).
Get the Step by Step
We did the legwork so you don’t have to! In this blog, you can see how we broke it down step by step (there are even visual guides that’ll help you ensure you’re on the right track). Whether you’re using WordPress or another platform, follow the steps to learn how to use the API generator tool as well as manually generate an API Key for your website. Learn how to create Google Maps API Key here.