📖 How to Use the Google Maps Extension?
After you 📚 download and install the extension, this guide walks you through setting keywords / country / region to automate business list scraping for any target area.
👉 Product page: Google Maps Scraper · Overview
For smooth operation · complete the following before you start:
- 1️⃣ Network — make sure you can access Google Maps normally
- 2️⃣ Dedicated browser — scraping continuously opens new map tabs · use a separate browser to avoid disrupting your work · we recommend 👉 Cent Browser
- 3️⃣ Don't minimize — do not minimize the browser window during scraping · it severely impacts performance
1. Core Feature Demo
2. Scraping Features in Detail
1. Scrape Current Page
This feature quickly grabs all businesses shown on the current Google Maps page after a manual search.
- 1️⃣ Click search — after Google Maps completes a search (e.g.,
doctor, Acton, Australian Capital Territory, Australia) · click [Search Current Page] in the floating panel - 2️⃣ View business data — the extension instantly extracts page data and shows it as a list
2. Batch Auto Scraping
Pin the extension to your browser — we recommend pinning the icon to the top-right toolbar.
This is the extension's core feature — automated large-scale business data scraping by setting conditions.
① Open the Main UI
After pinning, click the extension icon and choose [Enter Search UI].
② Configure Your Search Task
- Keyword — enter a keyword that appears in the business name or industry category on Google Maps · supports Enter to confirm or pick from dropdown suggestions
- Country / Region — pick the target country · then drill down to state or city
- Prefer category words — use Google Maps' official industry categories · download the 👉 Official Industry Category List as a reference
- Think from the customer's angle — if you sell wrenches, search Hardware Store, not "wrench"
- Do your research — when unsure, see 📚 How to Use Google Maps for Customer Development for methodology and find the best keyword
Region selection levels:
- State/Province — shows only top-level administrative regions
- City (default) — shows level 1 and 2 administrative regions
- Zip Code — shows the finest postal code areas · suitable for high-density verticals like restaurants
③ Monitor Task Progress
- Click [Search] to start the task · the progress area shows live task status / time elapsed and remaining / scraped count
- Use [Pause] / [Resume] / [Stop] at any time
Task states and actions — available actions depend on current state:
| State | Available Actions |
|---|---|
| Running | [Pause] — pause the current task |
| Paused | [Stop] — fully end the task · [Resume] — continue from where paused |
④ Manage the Business List
Data sync and filtering:
- Cloud sync — check [Cloud Data Sync] (member feature) · data auto-backed up to cloud · see 📚 Cloud Sync and Manage Businesses
- View filtering — use [View Filter] to auto-classify and filter businesses by preset conditions · see 📚 Quickly Filter Scraped Businesses
List interaction and display:
- Business search — enter a keyword in the list's top search box to quickly find a specific business
- Display settings — click the settings icon at top-right to customize [Fields] / list [Density] / [Rows per page]
⑤ Export Scraped Results
Export steps:
- Select businesses — manually check the businesses you want to export from the list
- Choose quantity — click the [Select All] checkbox in the header · or customize via the [Advanced] menu
- Confirm export — click [Export] on the right · confirm in the dialog and save as
.csv· download a 👉 sample result to preview the format
3. Advanced Features & Settings
1. Runtime Settings
Tune several parameters in the settings menu to optimize scraping:
- Scroll delay — lower it (e.g.,
0.1s) for faster speed when network is good - Timeout — raise it (e.g.,
60s) for poor network conditions to prevent skipped pages - Dedupe options — check [Remove Duplicates] (based on Place ID) by default · use other dedupe options sparingly based on need
4. Account Benefits & Promotions
1. Starter Bonus
Log in — click [Log In Now] at the top-right of the extension · register and log in as prompted.
Auto-credited duration — after first login, the system auto-credits 3 days of trial access.
2. Redeem Code
Get a redeem code via support or events · click [Redeem Code] in the avatar menu · enter a valid code to add usage time.
3. Referral Rewards
Click [Invite Friends] in the avatar menu · get your dedicated referral kit.
- Referral benefits — for each successful invite · get 3 days of access · plus a 20% cash commission on friend's purchases · see 📚 Referral Benefits
❓ FAQ
Q1 · Why are most search results irrelevant?
Usually caused by bad keyword choice. Use Google Maps' official industry categories — not terms borrowed from other platforms or made up. Study what your target customers are actually listed as on the map first.
Q2 · Scraping is slow. What can I do?
First, make sure your browser window isn't minimized. Then try lowering [Scroll Delay] in [Runtime Settings]. For a major speed boost, 📚 run multiple scraping instances for different tasks in parallel.
Q3 · Is the scraped data safe? Will it get lost?
Data is stored locally in the browser by default · there is a risk of loss. We strongly recommend enabling [Cloud Data Sync] to back up data to cloud servers · accessible anywhere.
🛡️ Pro Tips
- 🎯 Plan before scraping — don't dive into large-scale scraping right away · spend 10 minutes researching the industry · pick 3-5 core accurate category keywords · save hours of work
- 🔄 Iterate — treat your first batch as a sample · use it to find more relevant categories and keywords · run another round with the new terms · keep optimizing
- ⚙️ Know your settings — spend a few minutes understanding each [Runtime Setting] option · tune for your network and use case · significantly improves scraping experience
📚 Related Reading
- 💾 Extension Installation Guide — make sure the extension is installed correctly
- 🧠 Google Maps Customer Development Methodology — scientifically analyze customers · find the most effective keywords
- ❓ Extension FAQ — more issues and solutions
🔗 Permanent link: https://laifa.xin/chajian/how-to-use-google-maps-plugin