Embedded Map Icons - Is It Possible To Influence Them?

[Colan Nielsen]

Has anyone come across any tricks to influence the embedded Google Maps icons? See pic:


---------- Post Merged at 03:36 PM ---------- Previous Post was at 03:30 PM ----------

By "influence", I mean how to get them, if you don't have them.

 

[Andrew Sawyer]

Has anyone come across any tricks to influence the embedded Google Maps icons? See pic:
View attachment Googleplaces 2-24.pdf

---------- Post Merged at 03:36 PM ---------- Previous Post was at 03:30 PM ----------

By "influence", I mean how to get them, if you don't have them.

Icons are controlled by the algo and there doesn't seem to be an obvious trick to making one appear. With that said icons are dependant on the place name, categories and other resources. Whether or not it appears is dependant on the icon it would have had, proximity to other features, trust forr the feature and prominance. High priority features such as schools, hospitals, police stations, etc are likely always to render an icon. Whereas the random new newspaper store with no web presence and a few reports of spam, located stacked ontop of 19 other features will never render an icon. My advice is always make the infomation look as authentic as possible, ensure the data in the feature is optimized (ie completely filled out like Google likes) and then hope that trust on the web will make it more important to render with an icon. Occasionally I've seen a feature with no icon, just the name.

 

[Colan Nielsen]

Thanks Andrew.