Web mashups, including mapping mashups, are web programs that take information or functionality from two separate websites and put them together. Mapping mashups are combinations that relate specifically to mapping functions. Mapping websites have grown in popularity recently, and their functions lend themselves easily to creating useful mashups. Examples include plotting customers' locations on a map on a business website and applications that let you enter an address and find real estate information about that property or ones nearby.

Web mashups, including mapping mashups, require the following three parts:

1. The website that provides the content, which in the case of mapping mashups is often a large mapping website such as Google Maps;

2. A mashup web application tool such as Pipes or Popfly;

3. And the web visitor's web browser, where the content finally comes together in a way useful to the user.

Action Steps
The best contacts and resources to help you get it done

Visit websites and get mapping mashups information

Mapping mashups are some of the most popular mashups on the web because of the usefulness of web mapping services and their various features. Find mapping mashups by visiting websites that list and review these useful software tools. Get information on how to use the mashups as an end user or how find out how placing mapping mashups on your website can benefit your business.

I recommend: Find information about mapping mashups, including the most popular ones, specialized examples, tools and services, at ProgrammableWeb.com. Consult a mapping mashups list at Webmashup.com, where you can rate and review the mashups on the list or read reviews written by others.

Learn how you can use mapping mashups to benefit your business

You create a mashup using an application programming interface (API), which often takes content or search results from one or more web services or web feeds and combines them to produce a useful tool. Mashups can run on a computer or in a mobile browser on a smart phone.

I recommend: View case studies of businesses that have successfully used Google Maps API to place mapping mashups on their websites. Find out how you can publish a customized map on your web page using MapBuilder.Net.

Use a mapping mashups provider to create your own mashup

Mashup creating tools are relatively easy to use. View online tutorials that show you how to do it. Check out examples of other mashups for ideas or visit an online forum to ask questions of others who have experience.

I recommend: Create your own mapping mashup without learning how to code at Pipes by Yahoo! Build a mashup, a game or a web page using the graphical editor at Microsoft Popfly, where you can also see examples of other mashups created there. Learn how to make a business-oriented mashup at Serena Software or take advantage of one of their pre-built mashups.

Tips & Tactics

Helpful advice for making the most of this Guide

• •  Use mapping mashups to add specialized directions and other map-related functionality to your website, to help your visitors find your physical location or to drive traffic to your site.