Context 1.0

Map

Use the Map section to promote your brick-and-mortar retail store. This section is designed specifically for your address information and store hours.

This feature requires that you set up Google Cloud Platform account. You need this in order to get the Google Maps API key you need to make the embedded map work.

While customizing your home page, this feature is available by using the Add section button.

Add a map section

To add a map section:

STEPS

  1. From your Customize theme editor, choose Home page from the pages drop-down menu at the top of the screen.

  2. Scroll down the list of home page sections and click the Add section button.

  3. Choose Map from the list of sections.

    This opens the map section settings.

  4. Add an Image for the map section. This could even be an actual map image, if you want. This will display as a fallback if the embedded Google map can't be loaded for some reason.

  5. Choose an Image aspect ratio for your image.

    This setting auto-crops images to a single aspect ratio, making it easy to quickly add images and make them look uniform.

    Use the Natural option if you don't want images to be auto-cropped.

  6. Add Heading text.

  7. Add Address and Hours text blocks.

    These rich text fields allow you to add multiple lines of text, perfect for street addresses and store contact information.

  8. The next fields (Map address, Google Maps API key, and Custom map JSON) require some additional set up.

    To learn more see Get a Google Maps API key

  9. Once you've got a Google Maps API key configured, you can add Map link text, like "Get directions", that links to your address on Google Maps.

  10. Style your map with Custom map JSON(Optional)

    More on that here

  11. Return to the list of Home page sections to find your new Map section.

Use the drag handles to rearrange the order of your Home page sections:

  1. Click Save.

Settings reference

The map section has the following settings:

Image

Select or upload an image to be displayed.

Heading

Add heading text for the section.

We recommend keeping this to only a few words long.

Address

Add your store address.

This field accepts rich text elements and multiple lines of text.

Hours

Add your store hours.

This field accepts rich text elements and multiple lines of text.

Map address

Add a street address that Google Maps can use to find your store.

Map link text

Add link text for the map link generated by Google Maps.

Google Maps API key

Add your Google Maps API key. You should have generated one using the directions here.

Custom map JSON

You can paste JSON configuration in this field to change the look and feel of your map. Learn more

You can find some map presets using Google's Google Maps Platform Styling Wizard website.

Image aspect ratio

Use this setting to automatically crop images to a specific aspect ratio. Choose from Square (1:1), Landscape (3:2), or Portrait (2:3) aspect ratios.

Choose Natural if you do not want your images to be cropped.

Get a Google Maps API key

Here's what you need to do to get a Google Maps API key:

  1. Sign up for Google Maps Platform. (Link.)

  2. Select the Maps product.

  3. Create a project for your Shopify store.

  4. Enter your billing information.

    Unless you get more than 500,000 views per month, you will not be charged for map API requests. They will all be paid for with the recurring $200 credit Google gives its Cloud Platform users each month.

After this process, you are granted a Google Maps API key, which you can copy into Context's map section Google Maps API Key field::

The API key should be a large jumbled string of characters, like this: AIzaSyCuv0hqbs8Itd_UvRQ0gAkwe5OxkYw_q08.

We recommend that you restrict your API key so it can only be used on requests to your store's URL (like https://your-store.com). You can restrict to multiple URLs if you also want to add your https://your-store.myshopify.com address for testing purposes.

The following video shows you how to do this from the Google Cloud Platform Google Maps dashboard: :

If you lost your API key, you can find it again (or regenerate it) from the Google Cloud Platform API Credentials page.

Custom map JSON

Using JavaScript Object Notation (JSON), a form of JavaScript code used to send structured information and configuration, you can change the look and feel of your map.

Using the Google Maps Platform Styling Wizard website, you can choose different map themes or tweak map settings.

Check out the following video for more information: :

Once you have copied the JSON to your clipboard, you can paste it into Context's Custom map JSON setting.

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