Google Maps Gaining on MapQuest
One of the slides in my 90-minute Local Search Workshop presentation shows market share among the major mapping sites. I’ll need to update that now, thanks to new data that Heather Hopkins of Hitwise shared with me this week:
The chart shows the gains Google Maps is making on MapQuest, and how both Yahoo and MSN Live Maps are lagging far behind in this category.
Google Maps also received some high praise this week from financial analysts. I wrote much more about all of this today on Search Engine Land:
Google Maps: #1 In Features, Market Share Rising
You can also read more reaction on TechMeme.
Oh, Lord, I didn’t even realize anyone used Mapquest anymore. I haven’t been there since the first time I went to Google Maps. I love Google Maps!
I’m with you on that, JD. But I have to say — when I was speaking in Columbus a couple weeks ago, I had a small group of people with me, maybe 12-15 people, and I asked how many use Mapquest. At least half of the people raised their hands. I was surprised.
I downloaded the Google Maps applet for my Blackberry and I love the (free) GPS locater it uses. I’m sold on it!
Google maps is definitely better. I resisted using them at first because I don’t want Google to have a monopoly on everything. I don’t use gmail for the same reason. Eventually I switched over tho, because mapquest failed so often.