Jennifer Van Grove is a Social Media Strategist. She authors a blog about San Diego, technology, startups and social media at JenniferVanGrove.com.

Google Maps has become the standard mapping utility for everything from getting directions and finding nearby food options to viewing the surface of the moon. Are you getting the most out of your Google Maps experience? Keep reading to get some helpful hints on how to maximize (or minimize) all your mapping desires.

Make sure to leave us a comment and let us know about the Google Maps mashups, tips, and tweaks you love.

The Basics

Search

Be specific. You'll find what you're looking for if you type exactly what it is you want to map. If you're looking for gas stations, which is especially handy when using the mobile version on the road, just type "gas." Based on your present view (city, state, zip etc), you'll see gas stations pop up in the same vicinity. Once you've clicked on a specific location you can get directions, search nearby, save for later, or edit the location by either flagging it as inappropriate, moving it, or claiming it as your own business.

Don't forget to drag the little man icon onto the map for street view (where available), or select "More" to view photos and/or wikipedia entries associated with your search.







Keyboard Shortcuts

You can use your keyboard's arrow keys to move your view slightly North (up arrow), South (down arrow), East (right arrow), or West (left arrow).

For a bigger jump, use the page up and page down keys to dramatically move North and South. The home key will jump West and the end key will help you navigate further East.

Likewise, the + key will zoom in and the - key will zoom out. You can also zoom in and out with a mouse or the two finger touch (up and down) on a Mac. Simple right?

Advanced Tricks

Map an Exact Intersection

Should you choose to map a specific intersection without street numbers, simply type "STREET1 at STREET2, CITY, STATE" for a map of that intersection.

Use Extensions

There's a variety of Firefox extensions that you can install to make your mapping mission a little more seamless.







I personally prefer Ubiquity for my mapping shortcuts. You can select an address on any page, initiate the Ubiquity command screen, qualify your query with "map," adjust the map to your liking, and insert it in an email. Love it!

Reference API Tutorials

Should you choose to leverage the API to create your own concoctions, you might want to reference both the Google Maps API Tutorial, and Google Map Parameters mapki to the get the most out of your mashup.

More Advanced Tricks

The PCMechanic video below has a few handy tips for using Google Maps, including configuring Firefox for quick access to google maps (:30), using saved locations (1:12), and finding latitude/longitude coordinates (1:55).







Maptastic Mashups

One of the coolest things about Google Maps is that users can create and submit their own custom maps, which means you can have immediate access to these super cool mashups simply by clicking "My Maps" (it's right next to "Get Directions"). Think of this area as your own online map community. It's where you can find your saved places, search in-between destinations, and browse pretty useful utilities from weather information to disaster-related maps.

Search in-between

Search in-between is so simple, but so incredibly useful. Just add it your maps, select it, type in exactly what you want (like "gas"), add the two location end points, and you'll get a map of all the gas stations on your route. This is an especially convenient app for road trips (I used the search in-between feature on my two cross-country drives, it really comes in handy when navigating unfamiliar territories).

Plus, if you have an iPhone you can utilize the iPhoneSender Safari bookmarklet or Firefox extension to save all your fabulous search queries and send them via email, with a phone-friendly link, for safe keeping and easy access on the go.

GasBuddy







GasBuddy, from GasBuddy.com, is a featured mashup that lets you type in the city, state, or zip where you want to search for gas prices and locations. It's another standby for me. Cheap gas is a godsend in this economy, and GasBuddy is my little angel.

Places of Interest







Places of Interest is another nifty little tool that maps pretty much anything of interest including bars, ATMs, food (by food type), and even places of worship. This custom map supports viewing of up to 5 different options at one time.

The action-sports enthusiast may enjoy Outdoor tracks by GPSies.com, which includes custom maps for a variety of activities including hiking and jogging trails, geocaching locales, and maps for more intense adventure seekers interested in climbing, mountain biking, and winter sports.

Google Moon







For the moon walker in you, there's always Google Moon. With geologic and topographic charts, and elevation options, you'll feel like a real universe aficionado.

Mashups You Love

I always poll my smart and savvy Twitter network when I need to find the best in web-related goodies. They recommend:

HousingMaps.com







A clever little mashup, HousingMaps.com shows Craigslist listings across the country. Users can filter by city, price, housing type, listings with pictures, and any additional keywords. The end result is a detailed map with housing options side-by-side with a color coded text list. (Recommended by @searchguru)

Gmaps Pedometer

Gmaps Pedometer is a simple site that lets you calculate the distance between specific points you plot on the map. You can turn mile markers, elevation, and the calorie counter on or off based on your personal needs. In addition, you can save your favorite routes for future reference. (Recommended by @shanehale7 & @CatherineLarsen)

Robocall Tracker







The Twitter Robocall Tracker: Map of Robocalls is a mashup of a variety of open APIs with the purpose of plotting reported robocalls (you know those annoying prerecorded calls you can't avoid). Users can report a call, view other reported calls by locale, and listen to the actual audio from a handful of reported calls. All reported incidents are screened and associated with the name of the Twitter user who submitted the original report. (Created by @EndTheRoboCalls)

Mobile Map Goodness

The beauty of Google Maps is that you're not restricted to browsing at home. Google Maps for mobile works on a wide variety of phones including the iPhone, and all phones with Windows Mobile and Android operating systems. The mobile version supports a majority of the standard Google Maps functionality including My Location (regardless of whether or not your phone has GPS), Street View, Directions (public transit), walking, or driving, Business Listings, and Traffic information.

Wikitude AR Travel Guide for Android







G1 owners (and future Android users) have the added bonus of being able to play with Wikitude AR Travel Guide, an augmented reality app with location-based Wikipedia content. I haven't had the opportunity to test it, but according to their website, one bonus is that "users may hold the phone's camera against a spectacular mountain range and see the names and heights displayed as overlay mapped with the mountains in the camera." Check out the video below for a really neat peek at what this app can do. Um yeah, can I get that on my iPhone please?!?







Now It's Your Turn...

Tell us about the mashups you use, the tricks you live by, and the tweaks that make you weak in the knees.