Google Maps is one of the most popular online map tools in the world – thanks to its innovative and creative features such Google Streetview. One of the stand-out features of Google Maps is the fact that it provides aerial and satellite imagery of urban areas. Therefore, locations can be viewed on the internet before user’s head there.

Google Maps’ popularity stems from the fact that it provides more than just map application, its features include:

• A route planner that offers options to not only vehicles but walkers, bikers, and public transportation. This is great because Google Maps will plan routes depending on your mode of transport.
• It has a mobile component that uses the GPS of a mobile device, and cellular networks to provide mapping services to users.
• Its innovative Google Moon section was added not too long ago as a nod to the anniversary of the moon landing – using images of the moon the application pinpoints exactly where the moon landing took place.
• Google Streetview is undoubtedly one of the most useful features of Google Maps. It allows the user to walk through various locations around the world. Google uses vehicles that drive around the world to map streets and using composite images they create a visual tour for users. It is particularly useful when users want to see what a location will look like before they go there, or even if a user simply want to look back at a fond location.
• Web developers can imbed a map image of a location on their website using Google Maps.

When it comes to SEO however, Google Maps can also be used to be effective. Google Maps allow for the listing of businesses on their website, and therefore when engaging in SEO activities it is important to list the business on Google Maps. This will provide extra links for crawlers to identify, while at the same time helping the website increase its page rank.

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