Thanks to the evolution of smart technology, you can direct the readers of your blog to the exact location of anything from a business, to a restaurant, to a museum, to a park.

Plus, everything in between. You might want to consider adding mapping features to your blog to pinpoint the location of your business or illustrate a travel story, for example. Traditionally, bloggers who wanted to add geolocation functionality to their sites might have made use of mapping software.

But today, if you’re running a WordPress blog and want to add this kind of functionality, you might want to consider making use of one of the many easy Google Maps plugins available to provide that value to your readers.

After all, Google Maps is one of the most popular apps; in the United States it is the seventh most popular. Odds are that your readers are already familiar with the technology. If you’re thinking about giving your blog a facelift, why not consider making use of one of the following five WordPress plugins to add mapping functionality?

1. 5sec Google Maps Plugin

Sure, this plugin might cost $10. But all you have to do is enter [gmap]the address[/gmap] and voila, you’ve added Google Maps functionality to your blog! This plugin doesn’t require application programming interface keys. Not to mention, it doesn’t require any code editing or setup and supports full screen and custom location pins, like the star shown above.

2. Basic Google Maps Placemarks

Complimentarily available on WordPress’ site, this plugin allows bloggers to embed maps into pages using shortcode. That code can then be tweaked in order to alter the way the maps are displayed. Choose whether you want street view, satellite view or Google Earth. The kind of icons you want to use and the categories to assign markers are all up to you.

3. SimpleMap

Another free plugin, SimpleMap, lets you direct your readers to stores located around the world in countries that are supported by Google Maps. You are able to customize the appearance of maps. The best thing? You are also able to add mapping functionality to their sites in mere seconds. This plugin is billed as “the easiest plugin of its kind to use.”

4. Google Maps Generator for WordPress

It costs $16, but Google Maps Generator for WordPress allows you to create Google Maps visually, without needing any code. You’re also able to customize these maps with seven different skins, like the gorgeous Night Light one shown above. Additionally, you can customize the color schemes of the maps to your heart’s content.

5. Google Maps – Ultimate Addons

This plugin gives you the ability to create a wealth of different kinds of maps with ease – from polyline maps, to polygon maps, to directional maps and more. For example, check out this “fusion map” from their demo! With this plugin, you’re able to use custom icons to tag locations. You can also drag and drop pins to calculate distance in real time. The plugin also creates shortcodes automatically, allowing you to insert maps into your content with ease.

Your readers want as much helpful information as you can provide them with. Geolocation data is no exception. Years ago, it might have been more difficult to integrate that kind of functionality into your blog, but these days it’s easier than ever with plugins like the five listed above.