Looking to make an already sticky application even stickier, Google (NASDAQ:GOOG) launched My Maps this morning to enhance its popular mapping service. The new feature allows visitors to customize Google Maps, adding virtual pushpins to tag certain areas with text commentary, photographs, and even videos. The maps can then be shared with friends, and ideally with the rest of cyberspace.
Enterprising developers have been creating Google Maps mashups on their websites for a couple of years now. Even Google has turned to mashups of its own roadmap site. My Maps simply brings that functionality to the masses with intuitive tools.
The initial creations are basic stuff. From Olympic cities and major league ballparks to travel guides for Japan and Hawaii, it's good stuff that's bound to get even better once the masses get creative. It won't be long before you see someone laying pushpins on celebrity homes in Hollywood, Elvis sightings, and serial killer strikes.
Yes, Google may be following the herd here. Sites like Yahoo! (NASDAQ:YHOO), Microsoft's (NASDAQ:MSFT) Live, and IAC's (NASDAQ:IACI) AskCity are already using community-powered Web 2.0 features to create viral destinations. Google Maps also trailed Yahoo! and Time Warner's (NYSE:TWX) Mapquest in terms of map site traffic in February, according to comScore's Media Metrix.
That's OK. Google wasn't the first search engine or even the first paid search provider. The difference now is that Google is giving the community the keys this time. If My Maps succeeds, it will be because you finally got around to creating that pushpin map of the country's greatest burger joints.
Map carefully. Google is counting on you this time.
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Longtime Fool contributor Rick Munarriz is a Googleholic. Is there a cure? He does not own shares in any of the companies in this story. Rick is also part of the Rule Breakers newsletter research team, seeking out tomorrow's ultimate growth stocks a day early. The Fool has a disclosure policy.
