Public custom maps on google - any positive effect?

[silverbytes]

Have you noticed any effect using public custom maps on google maps? Let's say you create a custom map (public) pointing a couple of entries (labeled with blue globe icon), it is suppoused that everybody may see those right? But what happens when a google map is shown is all red icons on the map and zero blue. So I wonder what's the difference between public and private if that's the case.

Any positive side effect?

[tedster]

Your observation seems accurate. I've done a good bit of poking around on Maps Search and Google Earth - the two places Google says those blue markers can show up (see http://maps.google.com/help/maps/userguide/#public [maps.google.com])

I'm not seeing any blue.

[silverbytes]

Than page from google you mention says

Public maps will be included in the search results on Google Maps and Earth.

I didn't see that happen at all. However a see many listings made not for the business owners but for well known sites or companies (can't mention any here due to TOS right?)

It's not a language problem because happens the same on several languages. So I'd say including your blue icons on your maps is a waste of time. I wonder how those big companies made to list those business. Perhaps Google gave them a special access?

[eltercerhombre]

They do show, but just sometimes. Look for a business, click on it, and check the tab for "user content", you'll see custom maps listed there.

However, the best is to create a Google account and then upload these files as a custom map. If you do it and a lot (or add a lot of info) for a specific place/location, your maps can get featured when people searches for that specific location, driving some traffic (a lot depending on the place). Also your user gets featured too (as a top contributor), which helps a bit.

Note: do not hold your breath, Google Maps takes a lot of time for updating this, you may have to wait up to 3 or 5 months until you see an update.

//edit for a small correction (show instead of search)

[silverbytes]

So do you say creating a dozen of points is better than just 2 or 3 in your public custom map? And perhaps you just have to wait some months to show up? That would be intersting.

Do you see google maps as referrers in your sites with any incidence?

[eltercerhombre]

Yes, multiple points and multiple maps it's better. But much better if you use your google account for that. However, I do both: a geositemap and my google profile. In my niche, it's good -if not a must- to include this data, so with just a few lines of code I get in to GMaps.

Also, if you can embed your map in a website (important: embed the map listed in your google account), much better. More map views seems to help, but this is maybe just a noise signal.

Let's make it simple: go and search for a few of your favourite location in Google Maps. Probably you end up seing from 1 to 4 "top contributors" and above this some recommended maps. Just try to be one of those ;) Do something is useful and promote it.

This won't drive you a lot of sales, but will help you getting noticed on broad keyword searches and give you some visits, which is not that bad right?

And yes, is not a lot, but I a have a few referers every day from my custom maps. And not only to my site: they also click on the affiliate links I put inside.

[silverbytes]

Do you mean listing other's people sites with their own urls in order to appear as contributor and get traffic form there? If that's the idea is a long way and competing with major contributors could be hard...

[eltercerhombre]

Yes, I mean colaborating as much as you can to get your maps listed when people searches for common locations.

Then it's up to you how you manage it and if you use it to drive traffic or not. In my niche it's not that difficult.

BTW: in my niche, it's easy to get a feed with thousand of locations. I always add information that no other one does, but you can get the same result withouth adding that info.

Anyway, my approach is always the same: if there's anything coming up that looks to stay for a long a time and being used by users, then you have to be listed there. If you can be of the first ones: I have arrived too late too many time... that won't happen again.