Google Maps API Returning Inaccurate Results

Google does not openly advertise the fact that they have different location data for different users. However there is good anecdotal evidence an hearsay that Google Maps API returning inaccurate results may be by design.

The evidence is most prevalent in the geocoding of locations. The latitude and longitude Google assigns to different addresses is not “set in stone”. It is an interesting anomaly given the fact that places on earth should not move with regard to their latitude & longitude outside of plate tectonics.

The team at Store Locator Plus® has long held a theory that Google intentionally subverts accurate location data; quite likely to gain competitive advantage for their own products and services.

Fewer Geocode Requests With Store Locator Plus® 5

Our Store Locator Plus® 5.0 WordPress plugin is out today with some notable changes.   

What Store Locator Plus 5 does have is an improved map rendering process that reduces geocoding requests.    Since Google switched over to a 100% pay-as-you-go system for EVERYONE , no “free map views or geocoding” even for long-time users, we decided to focus on helping users reduce their monthly Google fees.     WPSLP 5 is the first release to work towards that goal.

Google API Key Changes Coming June 11 2018

Store Locator Plus for WordPress requires the user of the plug-in to obtain their own Google Map API key as described in our Getting Started Guide.  

Google has revamped its Google Maps API developer platform. With the changes to the way Google is handling the API keys, this may be a good time to rethink the overall management of your location services.  The MySLP SaaS platform takes care of all that for you.  You only need  to  embed the JavaScript code that MySLP provides when you sign up.