Google Maps the Caribbean. So What’s Next? Use It!

by Suzette Gardner

Small towns hardly make big news in the world of online marketing technology; small islands even less so. While most of us have gotten over Google putting small town America on the map—in the most literal of ways, the Caribbean is just getting around to celebrating our inclusion. Cuba, Jamaica, Haiti and Trinidad are just a few Caribbean islands that can now be Googled down to 110 ft scaled maps in both satellite and hybrid.

Although, Google’s Street View has not made it here yet—that’s still only available for select neighborhoods in a few big U.S. cities such as NYC, Miami and Denver; the Caribbean maps provide the same detailed view of towns and infrastructure (and yes, beaches too) that it does for cities across the U.S. The only difference is that directions are not offered.

Still, if you’ve got a project in the Caribbean you can finally use Google Maps for a more dynamic presentation of your work. So far real estate agents and sporting fans (cricket, fishing, sailing etc.) seem to be the only folks that have been using the maps in MashUps to reach their audience. Hopefully local organizations and businesses will begin using the maps soon to offset poor signage, plus connect their audience with their services/work.

Several neighborhoods in the U.S. have taken to using the maps to highlight car theft and other crimes to help the police and residents keep up with what’s happening in their neighborhood. I’m looking forward to Caribbean folks using the maps that and more. Here are a few uses that come to mind: highlighting parties and like events, cheap gas and other bargains, best free beaches still open to locals, local businesses that have a Web site… and I could go on and on.

The delight factor will depend on creative MashUps: Caribbean developers, let’s get busy!