Go inside with indoor maps on Google Maps for Android

Google Maps helps you orient yourself in the world around you, and as of a few months ago, began to help you do this indoors as well. Indoor maps, a Google Maps feature now available for Android mobile users, shows detailed building floor plans where available. This helps your customers using Android phones figure out where they are and what’s around them in your shop, and enables new customers to check out the layout of your location before they even visit.

Indoor maps were initially released with a limited set of partners (mainly large retailers, airports, and transit stations), and now we’re looking to bring these maps to more places where users might benefit from being able to quickly see floor plans labeled with ATMs, restrooms, departments, and more. You can upload your venue’s floor plan to the Google Maps floor plans tool (make sure you have the necessary permissions and follow our content guidelines). If accepted, we’ll format it to appear on Google Maps for Android. Your floor plan can be a blueprint, a digital image from your website or a brochure. If you only have a physical copy of the floor plan, you can scan or take a picture of it and use that image instead. Easy!

Sofia Italian Steakhouse, West Roxbury, MA

If your store is located within a larger indoor space, you’re still able to participate. Talk to your property manager or building owner about uploading a floor plan, since improved and more detailed information can help all the businesses in your establishment.

This feature is currently available in the U.S. and Japan — we’ll keep you posted as we expand. For additional questions or information, please email floorplans@google.com

Posted by Mac Smith, Senior User Researcher

Google+ page stories: Loluma

Editor’s Note: This is the fourth in a series of posts about small businesses on Google+ and their tips and tricks for managing a great page. Visit our YouTube channel to see all the videos in this series and join the discussion on the Google+ Your Business page. 

Meet Loluma, a team of artists that designs one-of-a-kind events. Sha Sha Harnik leads the team, as they provide design direction and coordination for wedding and event clients. In the video below, see how she uses Google+ not only to create moments, but also to capture and share them with her wedding clients.

Google+ Hangouts allow you to collaborate through group video chat. Watch Sha Sha hangout with a family of stealthy birthday planners to help them create the ultimate surprise party for their grandma’s 80th birthday.

Try Hangouts with Extras for even more collaborative features. With Extras, you can:

• Share your screen. With screen sharing, you can let other Hangout attendees see what’s on your screen. Want to share a website with your colleagues, or a design you’re working on with clients? Just select the “Share screen” button at the top.
• Collaborate on documents in real time. You can share notes and even work on documents at the same time. Perfect for brainstorming sessions!

To get started, select the “Start a hangout” button on the navigation bar along the right. In the yellow bar at the bottom of the pop-up window, select “Hangouts with extras,” and get started!

Want to learn more? Visit the Google+ Your Business site, and stay tuned for more Google+ stories and tips from small businesses.

How do you use Hangouts to collaborate with your co-workers and customers? Join the discussion on the Google+ Your Business page and tag your posts #mybusinessstory.

Posted by Evelyn Lee, Google+ Pages Associate Product Marketing Manager

Wizard of Oz Birthday Party

I am letting the pictures do most of the talking today.

All printables were made by me using Publisher.

The sign by the house says.."Grab your ruby slippers before the Wicked Witch gets them." The Dorothy house was made by putting a card board box together, cutting it in half, and then stacking it on top of each other. The ruby slippers were an after-Christmas clearance purchase. 

The dessert table. 

I made the cake using tons of Wilton fondant. I also made the ruby slipper cookies.

 A vintage puzzle my mother found.

 For the craft, I used these cute little bird houses from Michael's. These were "munchkin" houses. I got the idea from here.

Here are the girls painting their houses.

 Party Favors.

Each Dorothy basket contained a Toto, a coloring book, a little heart container, and a "be courageous" necklace.

 The girls also got an gi-normous lollipop.

 The mother's left with some strawberry jam...they were in the little blue container.

 Food table.

Everyone seemed to have a great time, and we are so thankful to have all these little girls in S.R.'s life!!

Participating here:

Introducing the Learn with Google Webinar Program

(Cross-posted on the Inside AdWords blog.) 

At Google, one of our goals is to help make the web work for your business. Today weíre introducing the Learn with Google webinar program that does just that, by sharing best practices and tips across a variety of products, including search ads, mobile ads, display ads, YouTube and Google Analytics.

Weíre kicking off the program with eight live webinars in March:

• March 13 at 10am PDT: 5 Tips to Start Marketing your Business with Video
• March 14 at 10am PDT: Introduction to the Google Display Network
• March 15 at 10am PDT: GoMo: Mobilize your Site and Maximize your Advertising
• March 20 at 10am PDT: Understanding Mobile Ads Across Marketing Objectives
• March 21 at 10am PDT: Reaching Your Goals with Google Analytics
• March 22 at 10am PDT: GoMo for Publishers
• March 27 at 10am PDT: Manage Large AdWords Campaigns with Less Effort
• March 28 at 10am PDT: 3 Tips to Get More out of your Video Advertising Campaigns

Check out our new webinar page to register for any of the sessions or to access on-demand webinars. Weíll be adding new webinars as theyíre scheduled, so check back regularly for updates. You can also stay up-to-date on the schedule by downloading our Learn with Google Webinar calendar to automatically see upcoming webinars in your Google Calendar.

Whether your goal is to engage the right customers at the right time, make better decisions faster, or get the most from your marketing dollars, we hope that youíll use these tips and how-toís to maximize the impact of digital and grow your business. Weíre looking forward to having you join us!

Posted by Erica Tsai, Product Marketing Manager

Happy Birthday S.R.!!

We have had a wonderful day today. Looking forward to sharing all of today's festivities with you guys. I wanted to show the birthday girl in her party attire...

We are so lucky to have this sweet thing in our lives...

Happy Birthday S.R.!!!

Sneak Peaks...

As promised, I am sharing a few sneak peaks from S.R.'s birthday party.

I just finished decorating ruby red slipper cookies. I have a few finishing touches with the party decor, and then I have to start scrubbing the house.

Some of our party guests will be arriving tonight.

I can't wait to share the entire party with you all. Have a great weekend everyone!!!

Dr. Suess' Birthday on March 2nd....

If you guys are in need of a Dr. Seuss idea, you can check out my post from last summer where I made

 Thing 1 & Thing 2 t-shirts for the kids.

Comes with free printable & tutorial!!