---
title: "Interactive Google Map of Where I Work"
date: 2009-07-05
description: "$( document ).ready(function() { // Handler for .ready() called. $("
canonical_url: https://idratherbewriting.com/2009/07/05/interactive-google-map-of-where-i-work/
---
# Interactive Google Map of Where I Work
Mapping technology has come a long way in the last several years. You can now embed a rich Google map directly into your blog or site, draw boundaries on the map, add landmarkers, and so on -- all without almost any technical knowledge. Here's a map of the area I work in downtown Salt Lake City. Click on each of the squares to read a little blurb about that area.

[Where I work](https://maps.google.com/maps/ms?ie=UTF8&hl=en&msa=0&msid=103269556943571497995.00046dc703e125f09ad99&ll=40.770792,-111.891675&spn=0.005249,0.013937&t=h&z=17)

I don't use maps much in my job as a technical writer, but maps are commonly used in just about everything else. Every time you have a meeting (for example, an STC meeting), you can embed a Google map on the website. If you have a garage sale, embed a map to your house. Planning a barbecue? Embed a map to the park or area you're having it. I biked a long trail this weekend that I'm eager to add to Google maps. I also have a friend who geomaps trails all the time.

Google maps are fun to play with. To create your own boundaries, go to [http://maps.google.com](https://maps.google.com), sign in, and click **My Maps**. Then click **Create a New Map** and draw the appropriate boundaries with the available tools.

To embed your custom Google map on your blog, install the [Google XML maps plugin](http://wordpress.org/extend/plugins/xml-google-maps/), configure the settings, and then just add a link to your custom map (on your custom map, click the link button in the upper-right to get the link to the map). The plugin automatically converts the link into an embedded map.

The ease of inline maps with WordPress is quite cool. I can imagine a ton of situations where the map can make it easy for people to understand directions and locations -- much more than the antiquated way of providing an address and letting people unfold a giant paper map.