how does the business locator tool work?

Answer by: Stuart Pierce, Aplus.Net Knowledge Base Support.

You can use the Business Locator to integrate a map on your website which will show your actual location. The tool requires an active Google API key and works with locations within the USA only. The API Key registration is free with Google, and this tool will automatically generate it for you. You have to provide an active Google Account and a domain name.

Note: Separate Google API Key is required for each domain name you’d like to display the map on. You can use the tool for up to 10 domain names.

I. Generate Google Maps API Key:

Start by logging into the Aplus.Net Control Panel at http://cp.aplus.net using your Registration Number and Customer Password.
Select Web Hosting from the top navigation bar.
Next, select Hosted Domains and click on Manage Hosted Domains.
Now, select the hosted domain that you’d like to manage.
Click on the Design tab.
Click on the Business Locator icon.
Enter an active Google username and password.

Note: The Google username and password will be used for the API Key retrieval and will not be stored. If you do not have a Google account, you can create one here: https://www.google.com/accounts/NewAccount

Enter the domain name that you’d like to display a map of your location on.
Click Generate. The new API Key will be stored in your FTP space.

Note: You have to generate at least one API Key for the primary domain name selected in step 4. Once you generate your first API Key, the tool will also generate an API Key for your utility domain name. At this point, you can repeat steps 7-9 to generate API Keys for other hosted domains.

II. Configure your Business Location:

Once you have an active Google API Key, you would have to define your actual business location and configure the look-and-feel of your map. The tool will generate the required HTML code which you will have to import in your website page(s).

Go to the Location tab of the Business Locator tool.
Type your location (US locations only).

Important: The tool has specific address requirements. Please refer to the examples below:

10350 Barnes Canyon Rd., San Diego, CA 92121
1133 Westchester Avenue, White Plains, NY 10604
1085 Lindbergh Dr NE Atlanta, GA 30324

Click ok to confirm that the location is correct.
Select the style of the map icon which will appear on your website using the Themes drop-down menu.
Select the size of the map icon using the respective radio buttons.
Enter a tooltip for the map icon (optional).
Enter a description of your location.
Now, you have two options:

You can automatically place the HTML code for the Business Locator. Click the Import Business Locator button, select an existing web page, and then click on a desired location to insert the tool. Click Save from the top navigation to finish.

NOTE: Please have in mind that with this option you will have limited design capabilities, given the fact that the web page you have chosen already has content.

Or, click the Grab html code button to copy to clipboard the required HTML code. You can use this code for of all your web pages you have to have the Business Locator at.

NOTE: With this option, you will be able to manually import the HTML code, thus obtaining full control over the design of your web page.

Important: You can import this same HTML code into any page belonging to a domain name (hosted in your plan) that you have a stored Google Maps API key for.