It's your world. Map it.

Posted by Ramesh Balakrishnan, Software Engineer

We realize that you know your neighborhood best. So to provide the most accurate maps possible, Google Maps is open to user edits. People have moved markers of their homes and businesses all around the U.S. and Australia, making Maps work even better.

And so we thought: Why stop there? Moving placemarks is just scratching the surface. After all, when a new place opens in your neighborhood or an old favorite changes its location, wouldn't be nice to have that change reflected on Maps immediately?

Now in the U.S., Australia, and New Zealand, you can log into your Google account to edit a place on the map. You can even mark that a business has closed to save someone an extra trip. Of course, we've taken steps to help protect accuracy -- for example, you'll still be able to see the original listing information along with the history of changes made. This video shows you how to get started:

Beyond editing existing information on the map, you can also add new places. If you search for a business, a landmark, or even a point of interest that doesn't already appear on Google Maps, you can add it for the world to see. Within a few seconds, your addition will be searchable by everyone. Missing your neighborhood soccer field? A favorite monument downtown? A newly opened clothing store? It's your world... you know best what needs to be mapped. Here's how: