Have you ever needed to add a map to your website, but it was just too much hassle, and you ended up just putting up a link for Google maps? Well, you may already know about one of the fastest Google Maps plugins for WordPress that can quickly solve all of your map problems.
But if you are using Gutenberg (which is about to become the standard WordPress editor), you can add your maps with just a few easy clicks with the new plugin – Maps Block for Gutenberg.
What is Maps Block for Gutenberg?
Map Blocks is a free WordPress plugin developed by WebFactory Ltd. that adds an extra icon to the ones already there while editing your blocks in posts (using Gutenberg). This little icon, as the name of the plugin suggests, is a tool that helps you insert maps to your blog/website in the simplest way possible.
How does it work?
Installing the plugin is pretty simple. Just go to the WordPress plugin repository and search for “Maps Block for Gutenberg”, then install it. Note that you will need to have the Gutenberg editor already installed for Maps Block to work. After activation, it will already be integrated into the Gutenberg editor, and you’ll be ready to go.
A new icon will be added in the “add block” section, and after clicking it, a map will be added.
On the right side of the screen an editor will automatically appear where you will have the option to customize your map:
- Address – the reason you’re using the plugin, the address can vary from specific street numbers to neighborhoods, to entire towns and cities
- Zoom – how close do you want your map to be (default is 15)
- Height – the height (size) of the map on your page
The customization options are simple and functional. You can edit, move or delete the map block at any time before or after publishing and if you have the need and/or knowledge you can further customize your maps with CSS.
One final detail is the API key which you will need to create to use all the functions from Google Maps. Unfortunately, Google Maps won’t be able to work without the key. But don’t worry; the process of getting your free API key is a simple one, and you can find all the details here.
Costs, Caveats, Etc.
Maps Block for Gutenberg has been available for around 7 months now (version 1.0 was released in January 2018) and has over 100 active installations. Its updates have been keeping up with the Gutenberg updates and are now up to version 1.16 that was released just a few days ago.
If you’re looking for a quick and simple way to add maps to your site and prefer the Gutenberg editor over the old WYSIWYG one, look no further than Maps Block for Gutenberg. It gets the job done quickly!