As a webmaster with over 15 years of experience using WordPress, I‘m often asked how to embed interactive maps. While Google Maps is the obvious choice, I‘ve found Bing Maps to be an excellent alternative for many sites.
In this comprehensive guide, I‘ll compare the pros and cons of Bing Maps vs Google Maps, share tips for customizing and embedding maps in WordPress, and overview plugins that add powerful mapping features.
Whether you‘re looking for an alternative to Google or want to unlock unique Bing Maps capabilities, you‘ll learn how to fully leverage this underrated mapping tool. Let‘s dive in!
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Why Consider Using Bing Maps Over Google Maps?
While Google has dominated the web mapping space, Bing Maps has several compelling advantages:
More accurate estimated travel times. In my testing, Bing Maps predictions for how long a route will take have been consistently more realistic than Google‘s, which tends to underestimate. This helps with trip planning.
Interactive 3D map views. Bing offers immersive oblique and bird‘s-eye 3D perspectives for many metro areas worldwide. It‘s great for virtual tours.
Rich Streetside imagery. Similar to Google Street View, Bing‘s Streetside mode has extensive panoramic photos along roads in many countries.
Integrates with Microsoft products. Embedding maps and spatial data is easy in tools like Excel, Power BI, and SharePoint with Bing.
Works in China. Since Google Maps is blocked, Bing provides mapping in China. This gives it a huge user base there.
Customizable data mapping. Bing has robust developer APIs and supports custom data visualizations through tools like Spatial Mapper.
Alternative to Google. If you prefer to avoid Google services, Bing Maps lets you fully map your site with Microsoft.
Bing continues to improve their mapping data and coverage. As of 2022, Bing Maps has over 15% market share worldwide, up from 10% in 2020 according to Statista. With Microsoft‘s resources, I expect Bing Maps to gain further adoption.
While Google Maps boasts more extensive user data for traffic accuracy and reviews/ratings, the unique 3D, Streetside, and integration capabilities of Bing make it a strong alternative.
| Comparison | Google Maps | Bing Maps |
|---|---|---|
| Directions & navigation | Robust transit, driving, walking directions worldwide. Real-time traffic updates based on crowdsourced data. | Driving and walking directions available globally. Traffic data still limited in some regions. |
| Search/reviews | Extensive reviews, ratings, photos, and information cards sourced from Google users. | Less first-party data from users. Links out to Foursquare, Tripadvisor and other sites for additional info. |
| Satellite & Street View | High-resolution satellite imagery in most regions globally. Street View panoramas cover extensive territory. | Satellite imagery on par with Google. Streetside views available but still less coverage than Street View. |
| Ease of embedding | Simple embed process for basic maps. Requires API key for customization. | Embed process requires API key for all maps. |
| Developer capabilities | Robust Maps SDKs for web and app development. APIs for custom markers, geocoding, directions, places search, etc. | Flexible Bing Maps APIs and SDKs available. Add-ons for Power BI, Excel, and Azure. |
| 3D Maps | Limited 3D building layer recently introduced. | Interactive 3D maps available for metro areas globally. |
Now that you know the unique advantages of Bing Maps, let‘s go through how to embed them in your WordPress site.
Method 1: Easily Embed a Bing Map Using Code
If you just need to add a single interactive map on a page like your About or Contact Us, embedding via code is quick and easy in WordPress.
Here are step-by-step instructions to generate and embed a basic Bing Map:
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Head to Bing Maps and search for the location you want at the center of your map.
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Click on the menu button in the top right corner and select "Embed map".
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On the map customization screen, adjust the map size, zoom level, and style options like road or aerial.
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Once your map looks good, click the blue "Generate code" button.
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Copy the full embed code that pops up.
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Add a Custom HTML block in your WordPress editor and paste the code.
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Update or publish the page and your interactive Bing Map will be live!
By generating a map from Bing first and customizing the settings, you can get an interactive map tailored to your needs with minimal coding.
The embed code will also make sure the map fits your WordPress theme style for a native look. You can tweak the height and width as needed.
If you want to showcase your business location, add your office to a contact page, or display any single address, this method works great.
Now let‘s look at how to embed multiple Bing Maps across your site with markers, customization, and categories.
Method 2: Add Multiple Interactive Bing Maps With a Plugin
If you need to showcase locations across your WordPress site – like branch listings for a bank, restaurant locations for a chain, or points of interest on a tourism site – embedding multiple map views quickly becomes tedious.
Thankfully, plugins like Ultimate Maps make it simple to add tons of customized Bing Maps in WordPress. The pro version also supports other map providers like Leaflet and Mapbox.
Here are the basics to get up and running with Ultimate Maps for Bing:
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Install and activate the Ultimate Maps plugin.
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Sign up for a free Bing Maps API key by creating an account.
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Put the API key into the plugin‘s configuration settings.
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Create marker categories like "Branches", "Tourist Sites", "Restaurants".
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Build maps and add custom markers using your categories.
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Copy the shortcode for each map and embed it.
Let‘s dig into the details a bit more:
The first step is grabbing your free Bing Maps API key, which is required to embed interactive maps:
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Go to the Bing Maps Dev Center and register for an account.
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Under "My Account", click on "My Keys" and then "Create a New Key".
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Give the key a name and enter your site URL. The Basic key works for most needs.
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Click "Create" and copy the key that‘s generated.
Next, put this API key into the Ultimate Maps settings:
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In your WP dashboard, go to Ultimate Maps > Settings
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Under Map Engine, choose "Bing Microsoft"
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Paste your Bing Maps key into the field
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Click Save Changes at the bottom
Now you can start adding customized Bing Maps:
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Go to Ultimate Maps > Add Map to create a new map
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Adjust options like map height, width, zoom level
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Enter a center point like an address or latitude/longitude
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Click "Save Map" once configured
To add markers for locations:
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Go to Ultimate Maps > Markers and click "Add Marker"
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Select the map you want to add the marker to
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Enter a title and description for the marker
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Choose an icon and category
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Enter the marker‘s location and click "Save Marker"
Embed maps anywhere on your site using shortcodes:
- Go to Ultimate Maps > All Maps to access your maps
- Copy the shortcode for any map and paste into a page or post
- The map will automatically appear thanks to the shortcode
With this plugin, you can easily manage dozens or hundreds of interactive Bing Maps across your site with custom markers, tooltips, categories, shapes, and more.
Best Practices When Embedding Bing Maps in WordPress
To ensure your Bing Maps look great and function smoothly in your WordPress site, here are my top tips:
Optimize map loading times – Limit map area and points for faster rendering. Load them only when scrolled into view. Use a CDN like Cloudflare for caching.
Make markers descriptive – Well-written marker titles and descriptions create useful tooltips. Focus on relevance to users.
Test on mobile – Zooming and panning should work flawlessly on mobile devices. Simplify maps for small screens.
Match your theme style – Tweak map color schemes to match your theme for a cohesive look. The defaults stand out.
Check accessibility – Use proper alt text for images. Support screen readers and keyboard shortcuts for navigation.
Link out for more info – Hyperlink markers and descriptions to detailed location pages or external sources.
Collect user feedback – See if your map is helping visitors find locations and information easily. Get input.
Taking the time to carefully craft your Bing Maps will ensure maximum usability and engagement.
Alternative Bing Maps Plugins for WordPress
While Ultimate Maps is a robust premium option, there are also some free plugins that allow embedding Bing Maps in WordPress:
Bing Maps Easy – Simple plugin to generate a shortcode from an address. Basic options.
WP Bing Maps – Creates shortcodes and widgets for Bing Maps. Missing some customization features.
bingMAP – Uses Bing Maps AJAX control to embed responsive maps. Minimal styling control.
Intuitive Maps – Adds Google, Bing, and OpenStreetMaps but limited in features compared to Ultimate Maps.
In my experience, Ultimate Maps delivers the most robust set of customization options for power users. But the free plugins work well enough for basic needs.
I recommend trying the free options first, and if you need more advanced capabilities, Ultimate Maps is worth the investment.
Start Mapping Your WordPress Site‘s Locations With Bing
As you can see, there are many great reasons to try Bing Maps as an alternative to Google Maps.
The simple embed code method works well for adding your business address or a single location to any WordPress site.
For managing multiple map views with points of interest, categorized markers, customization, and advanced features, a plugin like Ultimate Maps is extremely helpful.
So if you want to break free from Google or leverage unique Bing Maps capabilities, give it a try on your next WordPress project!
I hope this comprehensive guide on embedding interactive Bing Maps was helpful. Let me know if you have any other questions!
