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Adsquare polygons guide with Google My Maps

This guide will teach you how to create polygons in Google My Maps, and then export them to a spreadsheet that includes the required WKT (Well-Known Text) format for use in OnePlatform.

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Written by Salome Cheishvili

Introduction

Google My Maps is a free, user-friendly tool that allows you to create custom maps for visualizing and defining geographic areas. It is an online service accessible through any web browser, and it can be utilized to define your store locations for improved accuracy in geospatial operations.

Alternative Service: Alternatively, you can book this service with Adsquare at an extra cost per POI. We invite you to consult your Adsquare Account Manager for further details.

📐 What is a Polygon?

In mapping, a polygon is a closed shape that defines a specific geographic area (like a service territory, a trade area, or a building footprint).

Using polygons (instead of simple points with radii) allows for improved accuracy because they can represent the true shape and complex boundaries of a location, leading to more reliable geofencing and measurement.

Part 1: Setting up Your Map

Step 1: Create a New Map

  1. Go to Google My Maps.

  2. Click the red button to "Create a new map".

  3. Click "Untitled map" in the top left corner to name your map and add a description (e.g., "My Stores Q4 2025").

Step 2: Prepare Your Layers

A Layer acts like a folder for your map features. You can have a separate layer for stores and for the polygons you will draw.

  • Click "add layer" and rename it (e.g., "My stores - Polygons"). This is where you will draw your polygons.

  • Optional: Import Store Locations (Points of Interest) as an additional layer

    • If you need to draw polygons based on existing store locations, click "Add layer" and name the new layer (e.g., "Store Locations").

    • Click "Import" on the new layer and upload your file (CSV, XLSX, or KML). Follow the on-screen prompts to select the columns for location (address or coordinates) and for a marker title. (for placemark column popup - Select only latitude/longitude, if available; or any other address defining feature if there are no coordinates in the file)

Part 2: Drawing and Naming Polygons

💡 Pro Tip: Set Your View for Precision Before drawing, ensure you are zoomed in close to the location. If you imported a store layer, click any marker and zoom to it. Always click back on your Polygons layer to make it active before you start drawing. If you have no store layer, use the Search bar to find the address or coordinates and zoom in manually.

Step 3: Select the Drawing Tool

  1. Ensure you are drawing in the correct layer ("My stores - Polygons") by clicking on it first.

  2. Below the search bar, click on a "Draw a line" icon.

  3. From the dropdown menu, select "Add line or shape".

Step 4: Draw Your Area

  1. Click on the map to mark the starting point of your polygon.

  2. Move your mouse and click again to set the next corner (vertex).

  3. Continue clicking until you have outlined the desired shape.

  4. To close and complete the shape, click on the very first point you placed.

  5. A pop-up window will appear. Give your new polygon a unique name/id and click "SAVE".

You can draw as many polygons as you need.

Part 3: Extracting the Polygon Data

This step extracts the polygon geometry in the required WKT (Well-Known Text) format directly to a spreadsheet.

Step 5: Export Data to CSV

  1. In the left panel, locate and click the three vertical dots (More options menu) next to the layer you just drew on.

  2. Select "Export data".

  3. Choose "CSV" from the pop-up menu.

Outcome

Your downloaded CSV file contains the necessary columns: WKT (your polygon data), Name, and Description (if you chose one).

and there you have it! Your extracted polygon data is now ready for use in OnePlatform.

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