All articles by Brent van der Heiden
How to Appear in Google AI Overviews as a Local Business (2026)
Google AI Overviews now appear on 15% of searches and are replacing the local pack for many queries. Here is what local businesses must do to get cited in Google's AI-generated answers.
How to Build an Interactive Heatmap in JavaScript (2026)
Step-by-step tutorial: build a density heatmap in JavaScript using MapAtlas. Covers data formatting, intensity weighting, colour gradients, and real-world use cases like foot traffic and delivery demand.
JSON-LD Schema for Local Businesses: Get Cited by AI
The complete LocalBusiness JSON-LD markup that gets you cited by AI. Includes geo, hasMap, areaServed, and sameAs, the location fields most guides skip.
How to Get Your Business Cited by Perplexity AI
Perplexity AI has 100M+ monthly users and cites businesses differently from Google. Learn the exact citation playbook for local businesses in 2026.
How Gemini AI Decides Which Local Businesses to Recommend
Gemini pulls from Google's Knowledge Graph, GBP, and schema markup. Learn the exact signals Gemini uses to recommend local businesses and how to optimise for them.
Route Optimization API: Cut Delivery Costs by 30% With 50 Lines of Code
Use the MapAtlas Routing API to optimise multi-stop delivery routes, enforce time windows, avoid EU Low Emission Zones, and display the result on a map in 50 lines of code.
Why Your Tourism Attraction Is Invisible on AI Travel Queries
80% of travellers use AI for trip planning in 2026. Learn why most tourism attractions are invisible to AI engines and the exact schema signals that fix it.
How to Build a Healthcare Provider Finder Map (GDPR-Compliant)
Build a GDPR-compliant doctor finder map with specialty filter, postcode search, isochrone travel-time overlay, and patient privacy by design. Full JavaScript tutorial.
Why 45% of Consumers Now Use AI for Local Recommendations
45% of consumers now use AI for local recommendations. See the data and learn what location signals actually move AI engines to recommend your business.
How to Build a Live Driver Tracking Map for Delivery or Rideshare Apps
Build a real-time driver tracking map with WebSocket GPS updates, smooth marker interpolation, route display, and ETA calculation using the MapAtlas Maps and Routing APIs.
NAP Consistency for AI Search: Why Mismatched Addresses Kill Your ChatGPT Visibility
Mismatched business addresses across directories can make you invisible to ChatGPT and Perplexity. Learn how NAP consistency drives AI search visibility and how to fix it.
Build a Real Estate Property Map with Clustering in Under 100 Lines
Build a property listing map with price-label markers, clustering, address search, and price range filter in under 100 lines of JavaScript using the MapAtlas Maps API.
Why Your Hotel Is Invisible on ChatGPT (And What To Do About It)
AI travel referrals grew 17x from mid-2024 to early 2025. Yet most hotels still don't show up when travelers ask ChatGPT for recommendations. Here's why, and the structured data fixes that change it.
Isochrone Maps Explained: How to Show What's Reachable in 15 Minutes
Build isochrone maps with the MapAtlas Routing API. Show delivery zones, catchment areas, and drive-time polygons in JavaScript with complete code examples.
The Complete AEO Guide for Local Businesses (2026)
Answer Engine Optimization explained: how local businesses can get recommended by ChatGPT, Perplexity, and Gemini. Covers structured data, NAP consistency, content freshness, and the 29 signals that determine AI visibility.
How to Add a Store Locator to Any Website Without Google Maps
Build a fully working store locator with search, map, and list panel in under 80 lines of HTML and JavaScript, no Google Maps, no billing surprises.
83% of Restaurants Are Invisible on ChatGPT, A Study of 190,000 AI Results
Local Falcon analyzed 189,905 ChatGPT results vs 16.4M Google results. 83% of restaurants don't exist on ChatGPT. Even 4.8-star restaurants with 1,000+ reviews are invisible. Here's why.
How to Use the Geocoding API to Validate 10,000 Addresses in Bulk
Python script for bulk geocoding and address validation using the MapAtlas Geocoding API. Rate limiting, retry logic, confidence scoring, and EU address format specifics.
Only 1.2% of Local Businesses Get Recommended by ChatGPT. Here's Why the Rest Are Invisible.
A landmark study of 350,000 business locations reveals that AI-powered discovery is 30 times more selective than Google. Learn what separates the 1.2% from the rest.
Address Autocomplete API: How One Field Lifts Checkout Conversion by 35%
Add address autocomplete to your checkout in React using the MapAtlas Geocoding API. Reduce cart abandonment, speed up mobile entry, and validate addresses at input time.
How AI Finds Your Website in 2026: Why Your Site Needs to Be a Data Hub, Not a Landing Page
AI agents don't browse, they query. If your website can't answer machine requests with structured data and APIs, you're invisible. Here's what the shift means and how to act on it.
Google Maps API Alternatives for EU Developers (2026)
Google Maps API costs are rising and GDPR compliance is complicated. Here are the best alternatives for EU developers, compared on pricing, data residency, and developer experience.
How to Style a Custom Branded Map (Dark Mode, Colors, No Watermarks)
Style a fully branded map in 2026: change background, roads, and water colors, add dark mode toggle, remove watermarks, and match your design system exactly.
Your Website Is Invisible to AI Without Location Data and Fresh Content
73% higher AI visibility with consistent location data. 76% of ChatGPT's top citations were updated within 30 days. Learn why location metadata and content freshness determine AI discoverability.
Google Maps API Pricing in 2026: The True Cost Breakdown
Google Maps API pricing is more complex than it looks. See the true cost at 10K, 100K, and 1M requests/month, and how MapAtlas compares at roughly 75% less.
The EU Developer's Guide to GDPR-Compliant Map APIs
GDPR compliance for map APIs goes beyond EU data centres. Learn why CLOUD Act exposure still applies to US providers, and what true EU data sovereignty requires.
How to Add Interactive Maps to Your Website | JavaScript Tutorial (2026)
Add interactive maps to your website in minutes. Step-by-step JavaScript tutorial covering markers, popups, geocoding search, and React/Next.js integration with MapAtlas.
Switching from Google Maps API: What EU Developers Choose Instead
Unpredictable pricing, GDPR friction, and zero support. Here is why EU developers are moving away from Google Maps API and what they are using instead.
Vector Tiles vs. Raster Tiles: Which Should Your Web App Use in 2026?
Vector tiles or raster tiles? Learn the real performance, styling, and compatibility trade-offs to make the right architectural decision for your mapping project.
What Is AEO (Answer Engine Optimization)? The Complete 2026 Guide
AEO is the practice of optimising your business for AI answer engines like ChatGPT, Perplexity, and Gemini. Learn what it is, how it differs from SEO, and why location data is the foundation.