Leveraging Google My Maps for Real Estate

Every year Beloit College publishes "The Mindset List" to share "cultural touchstones that shape the lives of students entering college." One fact on the list points out that the class of 2017 "has never needed directions to get someplace, just an address." With the ready availability of GPS, no one needs to know to turn left at the gas station, go three blocks, and turn right to reach their destination. That's why today, we're going to show you how you can use Google My Maps to create maps that can connect with your leads, prospects, and clients in the digital map era.

What is Google My Maps?

Google My Maps lets you "keep track of the places that matter to you." In other words, it allows you to mark and comment on relevant locations on a Google map that you can then save and share digitally. Existing maps published under the "Explore" tab cover topics ranging from the "Interactive Map of Lewis and Clark's Expedition" and "New Orleans Bars, Restaurants, Cafes" to "Bigfoot, UFO, and More Sightings."

Why use it?

My Maps supports your position as a local expert by allowing you to create shareable maps that cover anything and everything from local landmarks to places to eat, things to do, school zones, and more.

Where can I get it?

• Android
• Browser

How does it apply to real estate?

Add Marker / Area Resources

You can add local landmarks, activities, restaurants, community amenities, and anything else you can think of to your map by placing a marker. Offer customized maps as a valuable guide to clients moving to your city and to those who are simply unfamiliar with your side of town.

Draw a Line / Neighborhoods

Use the "draw a line" tool to outline neighborhoods and subdivisions in your areas and add useful information about HOA rules, community Facebook pages, websites, etc. in the comment section.

Add Photos and Videos

You can add photos and videos to your marked areas by clicking the camera button. Consider using this to add neighborhood testimonials and neighborhood tours or to create a personalized copy of your map for your buyers. That way, when you have a showing they can take pictures to help remember which home had the great fireplace and which one had the perfect spot for a backyard swing.

Sharing

Once you have created your maps, remember to share them. Send the link for your "Top 10 Waterfront Homes for Sale" listing map in an email or embed your "Great Local Restaurants" map on your Local Info page. Remember to share links to your maps on your blog or social networks, as well.

For more information on using My Maps, visit Google My Maps Help or click here for more insights on using Google My Maps for real estate.

To view the original article, visit the Homes.com blog.