Store Locator Plus Archives | Page 8 of 19

Store Locator Address Accuracy

Posted by lcleveland in Map Software, MySLP SaaS, Store Locator Plus

My Store Locator Plus® was updated this weekend with new software. While we were at it the MySLP servers were upgraded.

Better address accuracy outside the United States

The biggest change to the My Store Locator Plus® software was the implementation of region data handling. The map domain, aka “region” setting under Store Locator Plus | Settings | Map influences the accuracy of the results returned for new location addresses as well as user searches.

Users in countries like Australia or parts of Western Europe should see a notable improvement in the accuracy of locations returned when searching for an address. The map engines, primarily Google, that are used to geocode addresses are more heavily influenced by the region setting in those countries.

Protecting Google API Keys

Posted by lcleveland in Store Locator Plus, WPSLP

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.

WordPress Google API Key

Posted by lcleveland in Store Locator Plus, WPSLP

If you are using the WordPress plugins for Store Locator Plus® you will need to manage your Google API keys on your own.

Thankfully our MySLP SaaS service users don’t have to deal with this nonsense, a benefit of having us manage the locator software for them. MySLP users login to their MySLP account, manage locations and map settings, and when they are ready copy the “generate Embed” code and past it into any page, post, or widget on their WordPress site — no plugins needed.

If you are using My Store Locator Plus® pat yourself on the back and take an extra 5 at coffee break today. You don’t need to read this article.