7 Reasons Why Google Maps Still Reigns Supreme in the Navigation War
Google Maps continues to be the world's most popular navigation app due to its coverage—over 200 territories to date. It regularly updates itself to feature new roads, bypasses, and Street View images.
Google Maps was only available on desktop when it was launched in February 2005, offering an online version of 2D cartographic location maps that helped people find a way to their destinations.
But the app revolutionized the way people viewed the world, with its acquisition of Keyhole Earth Viewer in June 2005, which allows netizens to see Earth in 3D and in zoom mode through satellite imagery.
It made another innovation in 2007, when Google decided to invest in an experiment of shooting images of streets and pasting them together into one "long" picture, leading to the birth of Street View. 10 years later, Google added a 360-degree panoramic view of locations, providing a virtual experience for viewers.
Winning Features
Google Maps has become the go-to app of over 1 billion people around the globe monthly, including 67% of Android and iOS smartphone owners.
Besides Street View, here are other features of the free app that makes it the best navigation app there is:
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Business listing
Businesses can list their physical location on Google Maps. A study by digital strategist David Mihm showed that 72% of consumers go straight to Google Maps instead of Google Search to find a local store, restaurant, or establishment.
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Local Guides
Under a pilot run in San Francisco, New York, Mexico City, London, Tokyo, Osaka, Sao Paulo, New Delhi, and Bangkok, the Local Guides program allows people to post reviews about a Google Maps-listed business. Found under the Google Maps' "Updates" tab, it has become the app's social network, allowing users to also follow select local guides.
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Offline access
Google Maps allows you to download maps of your route and destination ahead of time, which would be useful in case you lose Wi-Fi or data connection along your journey.
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Crowd scene
Your clients can know how busy your business area is before they leave home by searching the name of your shop and checking its "Popular Times" graph. It shows real-time information about queues and waiting times. They can use the drop-down menu to see the crowd level of a certain place on different days.
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Reservation, delivery, pick-up options
Interested customers can make a reservation, view the menu, or place an order at food establishments within Google Maps. They can also use the app for making Uber or Lyft bookings.
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Traffic estimates
The app's "Commute" tab offers directions, estimated travel times, traffic light locations, speed limits, and real-time traffic conditions, including incident reports. It also has information about bicycle-friendly routes, available public transportation, and nearby places of interest (through the “Explore” tab).
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Car parking
Google Maps can point you to nearby parking lots, along with rates, or show you where you can find them at your target destination. You can save your parking location on the app to have an easier time finding your vehicle later, if ever you park in an unfamiliar place.
Improve Your Branding through Google Maps
iMapping can help your business boost its online presence through Google Maps and rank higher for greater visibility. Check out our plans to get listed on Google Maps and other popular navigation apps today by visiting: https://imapping.com/