You can add all kind of content into your WordPress site. At WPBeginner we have shown you how to add audio files, videos, PDF and Spreadsheets in WordPress. Adding content from external sources allows you to create rich content that are useful and highly interactive. In this article, we will show you how to add Google Maps in WordPress.
Manually Adding a Google Map in WordPress
Go to Google Maps website, and simply type in the address of the location you want to show or search for a location. Once you have found the location, click on the link button in the right hand panel. This will show you the embed code. Copy the iframe code or you can also click on the “Customize and preview the embedded map” to further customize the appearance of the map on your site.
Go to your WordPress website and paste the code in a post, page, or a template. That’s all, save your post/page and see Google map live in action on your site.
Adding Google Maps in WordPress Using a Plugin
The first method is good, if you only want to embed a Google map to just one location on your WordPress site. But if maps play an important role on your site’s main content and you need to frequently add maps in your posts, then we would recommend using a plugin.
First thing you need to do is install and activate MapPress Easy Google Maps plugin. Edit a post/page where you want to add the map. Scroll down to MapPress section on your post edit screen and click on New Map button.
This will open MapPress editor where you can enter an address or click on My Location link to allow plugin to automatically detect your location. Provide a title to your map and choose the map size. Once you are satisfied with the map, click on the save button and then click on Insert into Post button to add the map into your post. Update or publish your post and see the preview.
With MapPress you can add multiple maps to a post or page. Even though it works out of the box but it also adds a plugin settings menu in your WordPress admin sidebar. Clicking on it you can change plugin settings, such as map type, border, alignment, controls, etc.
Adding Google Maps in a Widget and a Lightbox
Another easier way to add Google maps to your WordPress site is by installing Google Maps Widget plugin. After activating the plugin, go to Appearance » Widgets and drag and drop Google Maps Widget to your sidebar.
Enter the address you want to show on the map in Widget settings. You can also choose the map size, pin color, zoom level, etc. Click on the lightbox tab to configure the lightbox settings. Lastly click on the Save button to save your widget settings. Go to your site to see the widget in action.
We hope this article helped you add Google Maps in your WordPress site. For questions and feedback, please leave a comment below.
Don’t you have to get an API from Google before you can use a map plugin and insert it into the plugin? That’s been my experience lately.
Hi I’m trying to insert a google map onto my website ( WordPress ) it keeps disappearing am I correct in thinking that google now want $200 a month for this or whatever the cost or can I still insert a map for free
Google now charges for large uses of their maps API which is what the plugin runs on, the $200 you likely saw was the free monthly credit Google gives to those using their API so smaller sites are not charged.
Yes, that true but there is alternative for Google maps API. OSMapper is the plugin that uses Open Street Maps API that does not requires any API keys and there is no limit for usage. You can install it from WordPress.org.
While we have not tested it yet, we will be sure to take a look at it.
I tried the first step: copy the HTML in the after going to the embed button and paste it into the text version of the post. I went to the visual one and saw the embedded google map. I saved it at the site takes out the map. The changed texts remain, though, but the map keeps vanishing. it keeps repeating each try. Why does it happen?
Thanks – so clear x
Great tutorial – short and to the point. I had tried two other plugins that my client didn’t like. Thank you for the manual embedding information. Worked perfectly and quickly.
Many, many thanks for this tutorial.
Sara
Dear Sir/Madam,
I would like to change the Google Map address & not sure where to locate this embedded link to update the WP backend. I couldn’t find it the contact menu to locate it.
Seek yr kind advise on it!
Thankyou!
Rdgs,
Denny Png
Thank you! This is what I was looking for! Perfect for my travel post on my blog! The video is great and very helpful!
Great Work Bro!!!!
I would love to do this but when I go into google maps and type the address there is absolutely no gear so I can’t even get a link to copy for WordPress. Any ideas or suggestions?
I am having the exact problem. There is no flower on Google Maps anymore! So how does this work?
Hi!
I can’t find the code.. There’s no “flower icon” nor other links on the bottom right of the map. Is it because the place I’m trying to add doesn’t have a street address, it’s just coordinates?
Thanks in advance.
A great lesson, easy to follow and implement.
Much thanks, Andy
Is there any way to get this Map as a background to a page with full length say width 100% n height 100% something like that??
Can you be more specific about what exactly do you need
So, I loved the map tutorial but what if I want to place it in a certain area of the page… Or side bar? Can anyone help?
Thanks so much! Why would anyone bother with a plugin that may ultimately slow down their site when you have provided such easy instructions to grab the code from Google Maps?
By the way, if anyone is having trouble finding the code. Once you see the map, go to the bottom right-hand corner and click on the flower icon and click on “Share and embed map”. Then click on “Embed map” and enter into your WP page/or post.
Thank you. Very helpful post.
Hi, I was wondering if it is possible to have Google Maps to show the location of Groups (Buddypress)?
Thanks for your help.
hello sir,
i want to use plugin which provide exact location. can you suggest me? i use map press, leaflet market, wp google map etc. plugin but still no luck. all this plugin show some far location from my exact location. i want exact location where my shop is located. please help me. or is there any way to develop custom map & put in wordpress site? please provide step by step procedure.
Thanks & Regards,
aamir
Thanks for taking the time to write this article. It’s very helpful. Is it possible to add a Google Map that is linked with Google Places?
Very nice. But when we use coordinates, the lightbox map don´t work right. It just shows some place in USA. How can I fix this?
Thanks
Powerful stuff man. Thanks
Nice straight forward instructions. I posted a nice trick on how to get rid of the info bubble on the other day (http://goodwebsites.co.nz/how-to-remove-info-bubble-for-embedded-google-maps). Might be helpful.
Thanks for all the informative WP articles you’re posting.
Is it possible to add a Google Map to a site that
1. automatically adds the location of all site visitors or commenters to a map
and
2. allow all customers to be added, probably manually, although an automatic option would be good too. I have a small ecommerce site that has customers all over the world and thought it would be fun to show where we have sent stuff to.
That is so cool! … thanks
Thank you very much!
I have already founded (MapPress Easy Google Maps) and it is nice plugin.
And of course, your attention is very nice support. THANKS!!!
One more thing, please.
I would like to use these maps in tabs but only tab’s (shortcode) plugin I have found so far which shows maps is (Jshortcode). (I mean it shows in second or third tab. The others aren’t showing in second or third tabs.) It is nice plugin too but has very colorful tabs.
May be you would be so kind to advice some other plugins to solve this problem.
Thanks advance
Best regards
Zakaria