Google Launches Maps Gallery

A new Google Maps Gallery was announced today, a new way for governments, businesses, and others to share and publish mapping data to Google’s Maps Engine. Maps in the Gallery are viewable in Google Earth, and and are easily discoverable via search engines, which means that branded maps – e.g. a National Geographic sponsored map that relates to a new edition of the magazine, or a map of important spots in an upcoming movie – are now possible. It’s an opportunity for third parties to utilize Google’s effective mapping system for additional, well-designed maps that plot out specific data points in a way that’s both searchable and easily accessible.