Stop Google Maps Disappearing

If you’ve got a website, chances are you have a Google map displaying somewhere on your site showing your location or the locations of the places you blog about. Static maps which don’t allow you to zoom in or move around, are a thing of the past. If your location is spectacular, why wouldn’t you want website visitors to be able to click on Satellite View and see the beach, sea and surf for real.

WordPress and Google Maps

When you copy the embed code for a Google map and paste into the html view of a WordPress post or page, it appears to work as it should until you try and edit the page. When you make changes to your page, the map disappears and you have to go back to Google, get the embed code and paste all over again. Very annoying and time-consuming.

The Plugin to Solve Your Problems

As you probably suspected and I have recently discovered, there is a plugin called XML Google Maps Plugin which solves this problem and it’s not complicated to use. (See screenshots below)

First you need a maps API key.

1. Go to Google Maps API Sign up Page
2. Sign in to your Google Account
3. Enter the website address where the maps will be displaying (if your WordPress blog is in a separate folder,include this in the address, otherwise just type your website address)
4. Tick that you have read terms and conditions
5. Click on the Generate API Key button at the bottom
6. Paste the key into a blank file on your computer and logout (you will need this key later)

Next you need the XML Maps Plugin on your website.

1. Download the XML Google Maps plugin and upload to your plugins folder using ftp.
2. OR if you are using one of the latest versions of WordPress, go to plugins on your admin bar, click Upload New, find the right plugin and upload it directly into your plugins folder.
3. Activate the plugin in your plugins admin. [Read more]