Protecting Google API Keys

Posted by lcleveland in Store Locator Plus, WPSLP
protecting google api keys

For those of you in the self-service Store Locator Plus® WordPress plugins camp you are going to want to spend time protecting your Google API Keys.    For those using our Store Locator Plus® managed SaaS service, this is yet another article you can skip.

The basic configuration of Google API Keys tells you to turn off ALL restrictions on the first API key you setup with Google.    Turns out a lot of people have issues with configuring the keys properly and getting them put in the right place. 

To make matters more complicated, some lower-end web hosting companies don’t understand security and in turn shut off critical web services that do nothing to improve security; Like disabling all communication between the web server and Google.  That breaks things like the ability to Geocode locations in Store Locator Plus®.

This article is here to tell our WordPress plugin users how to properly secure their Google API keys for web hosts are configured properly.

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Interactive Map

Posted by lcleveland in MySLP SaaS, Store Locator Plus, Travel, Web Marketing, Web Presence
interactive map

Attending a conference almost always means travel.   Love it or hate it, the travel experience goes with the territory.  As a conference director, one of the best ways to increase the satisfaction level of conference attendees is to provide not only killer content but to also make them feel as though they are a welcomed guest in the host city.    An interactive map is a great way to make them feel at home.

Providing resources that help get people acquainted with the host city as quickly as possible is one way to make travel more of a perk than a pain for the attendee.    Do a good job playing host in your city and people will want to return year-after-year.

A great way to do this is by providing a resource directory that includes more than a map showing people where the venue is and how to get there.    In our “Hosting Conferences and Events” series we are going to walk through various ways you can build a great online resource that shows people around your city without making it a full time job for you or your online content authors.    The primary tool we are going to use is the Store Locator Plus® SaaS service.    By using the service effectively you can keep costs down while providing easy-to-use interactive maps for your attendees.

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