Mapping technology
Google Earth: View From Above

This free tool gives you a whole new perspective on viewing homes, neighborhoods, and the world.

BY MICHAEL RUSSER

A new application from Google has taken the idea of online mapping to a whole new dimension, promising to change the way that you and your customers learn the layout of your neighborhood.

Google Earth, which you can download for free, seamlessly combines high-resolution photographs (from space and/or aircraft) with maps of nearly ever square inch of the United States—as well as a good portion of the rest of the civilized world.

The result is far more than your ordinary two-dimensional online maps; In addition to photos of the mapped area, you see elevation information. This gives you a more realistic, 3-D perspective of any community you’re viewing.

If you’re not yet familiar with Google Earth, it’s time to get on board. Here’s a rundown of what the application can do and how it can become an integral part of your marketing plan.

Come Fly With Me!

Using Google Earth, you can fly into the Grand Canyon, soar above the blown-out crater of Mount St. Helens, or glide over downtown Manhattan. You can rotate or change the angle of your view and travel in any direction just by moving your mouse.

In essence, Google Earth gives you a set of “virtual eyes” that allow you to see the world in a way that even orbiting astronauts can’t do using a high-powered telescope. The tool brings a new perspective to planning trips, finding specific homes or buildings, pinpointing the location of local businesses, or exploring the world.

Just type an address into the “Fly To” field and watch in amazement as Google Earth flies to that location. It will then zoom into the exact address, marking the spot with an icon. The application lets you choose what type of icon you want to appear, and lets you create text, photos, and Web site links that pop up in a special window when you click the icon.

To see what it looks like when Google Earth flies to a destination, watch this Flash demonstration of the Grand Canyon. This is just the beginning of what Google Earth can do.

Peel Back the Layers

Perhaps the best way to think of Google Earth is as a rich mapping interface that lets you customize the information you can see for any particular area. For most metropolitan areas, Google Earth can plot out the location of all schools, school district boundaries, churches, restaurants, parks, and other places for the area you are viewing.

To make these locations appear on the map, all you must do is check the appropriate box in the “Layers” window. Google Earth comes pre-installed with more than 40 layers you can view on your maps.

For a better understanding, watch this Flash demonstration of the Layers options on Google Earth.

Work It Into Your Marketing Plan

Google Earth uses a special text document called a “KML” file. When double clicked, the file pre-loads locations and all the information related to those locations. Chicago-based Prudential Preferred Properties didn't take long to figure out how this works and incorporate it into their listing search capability. The company programmed Google Earth so the KML file of all listings are automatically updated every three hours, keeping the listing data fresh. See a short Flash video on how this company integrated Google Earth into its online marketing.

You can incorporate Google Earth into your marketing plan, too. With a bit of customization, you can provide these impressive tools to your Web site visitors:

• Map open house tours. Includes a short description of the home, the times it will be open to the public, and a link to a PDF flyer.
  
• Provide neighborhood tours. The tours could include numbered icons that, when clicked, provide a short description about the location and a link to a virtual tour of that particular spot.
  
• Show recreational amenities. Create a tour that shows local golf courses, bike trails, parks, and lakes, and include a short description of each one.
  
  The possibilities are limited only by your imagination.
  
  A Few Caveats
  
  Now that you’re all excited, let me bring you back down to earth about some of Google Earth’s current limitations.
  
• Not every computer can handle it. The program requires a great deal of computational horse power, especially with respect to using the latest graphics display cards. Computers sold today should have no problem, but a low-end system or computers that are more than two years old may not be compatible. Also, Google Earth currently only runs on PCs; Macintosh is not compatible. This means it will be a while before the majority of mainstream real estate consumers will be able to enjoy the benefits of seeing your listings this way.
  
• You may have to buy an upgraded version.Google Earth is free to use for viewing locations, but mapping a significant number of them or using the tool for commercial purposes requires you to purchase an upgraded version called Google Earth Pro. View pricing information at Google Earth’s Web site.
  
• You’ll need a programmer to do it right. To seamlessly integrate Google Earth into your online marketing and to fully take advantage of the power of Google Earth, you need to link it to your database of listings. You’ll most likely need a programmer to create a KML file that your visitors can click on to launch the program with all the locations pre-installed. However, it will not be long before third-party providers will start offering this service.
  
• Addresses don’t always map accurately. Sometimes the address of a property does not map to the correct location in Google Earth. This means that if your MLS listings do not store confirmed latitude and longitude coordinates, you could experience mapping errors.
  
• The maps may not be the most current. By definition, the mapping data will be at various stages of being obsolete. Some sample mapping searches we conducted did not show the most current mapping images of some properties. Google is not forthcoming as to how often it update the mapping information, which can be a massive undertaking.
  
  The Future of Mapping
  
  While Google Earth may not be a practical mapping solution for everyone, it is the future of mapping. It’s not too hard to imagine seeing weather, traffic, and other features someday being added as overlays.
  
  But the bottom line: Google Earth is just plain fun to use, and it gives everyone a new perspective in looking at their local communities and the world at large. No boundaries, no borders—just one big, beautiful Blue Marble that we all share in our journey through space.