I am using google places API to return basic information about businesses such as
- name
- address
- phone
and maybe images later but even the above 3 would be great initially.
The results being returned don't seem to be as accurate as when I search in google maps. For example, if I search for 'florist Athlone' in the town Athlone in Ireland I get 4 results, all are clearly florists.
However, if I use google places API and use Athlone as the coordinates like this with florist as the keyword
It returns weird results such as a shopping centre, a marketing company, a photographer etc. Now it does correctly return the 4 florists but is there a way via places or another API that can return more accurate results.
Obviously, if someone is looking for a florist and they see a marketing company and a photographer, the information looks reliable. What I like about places is that it gives 150,000 searches a day free. Ideally, the suggested API or method would also have a decent free plan.
This is just one example but there are tons of examples for all types of business categories where the info being returns is not accurate. I also thought about using the type value but that doesn't seem great. For example, you cant pass b&b you have to pass lodging which is too broad and I need to return specific categories like pub, restaurant, b&b, butcher etc
{
"html_attributions" : [],
"results" : [
{
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"location" : {
"lat" : 53.4242032,
"lng" : -7.934448300000001
},
"viewport" : {
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"lat" : 53.42555302989273,
"lng" : -7.933098470107277
},
"southwest" : {
"lat" : 53.42285337010728,
"lng" : -7.935798129892721
}
}
},
"icon" : "https://maps.gstatic.com/mapfiles/place_api/icons/shopping-71.png",
"id" : "4e0ff98af928a212bcd64e35c25278c7a962b1e0",
"name" : "A Room in Bloom",
"opening_hours" : {
"open_now" : true
},
"photos" : [
{
"height" : 2368,
"html_attributions" : [
"\u003ca href=\"https://maps.google.com/maps/contrib/113110406294245292993/photos\"\u003eGary Kearney\u003c/a\u003e"
],
"photo_reference" : "CmRaAAAAm5vmwNVndTiIiDiX-fGVhB-8aTx7Kyp4qMucuvcc80DMhGpn6nG0Q3DBK9_5jqT7fZDIctw-KHJ89RE_D2sJj5xr4Sy6zAYlVnyJx7VbRMqpHKY3Mr_eKmFTvnDKhP4CEhChU8nLg8ikqfsCcXukqoKGGhRVNPN5GdlO-KNWYgg3W3sLp-GiWg",
"width" : 4208
}
],
"place_id" : "ChIJQ-Uh0wVJXEgRHwfLO-9Qe_0",
"plus_code" : {
"compound_code" : "C3F8+M6 Athlone, County Westmeath, Ireland",
"global_code" : "9C5JC3F8+M6"
},
"rating" : 4.6,
"reference" : "CmRbAAAAVbtKUhG5syxA1oSfs3xvlsZtRfM9CijH13Hml4lPi3xdNwN-Pvs3KJRQ5wd0ZBdFI1G5d3VaaZm0lQVqulKIBqc2DLul2X2eeDaTVQFV84X0WX9xkflqORHVsdoabZCrEhDeR78yzfbmWMpF6Mtml2QkGhRTtjvPgqdoaQNCklJy416Gb2094Q",
"scope" : "GOOGLE",
"types" : [ "florist", "store", "point_of_interest", "establishment" ],
"vicinity" : "Fairview Terrace, Garden Vale, Athlone"
},
{
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"lng" : -7.949603499999998
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}
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},
"icon" : "https://maps.gstatic.com/mapfiles/place_api/icons/shopping-71.png",
"id" : "d0a8341c1a26a933c926b94227f7e185954337c8",
"name" : "Dooley's Westend Flowers",
"opening_hours" : {
"open_now" : true
},
"photos" : [
{
"height" : 3024,
"html_attributions" : [
"\u003ca href=\"https://maps.google.com/maps/contrib/110208982636998757346/photos\"\u003eDooley's Westend Flowers\u003c/a\u003e"
],
"photo_reference" : "CmRaAAAAQEyT0e3Fi2X7GdSDWaS4NaQoPhq1WGr9KVJoqFnuRSEbGr07sEToiAtP0Jqo2IsOdpBTGY99kLThSO88D0ySco5zbVYG40vxIA-TOlgMP4nXAJKvgJPNzsRE6u05gbyeEhAKodedRy7xMHLiJ3BGu0pjGhQ7veW7qSB13wxp84JzJNhc2Y_2Jg",
"width" : 4032
}
],
"place_id" : "ChIJ5RDhM_xIXEgRUfEQvO3MJEw",
"plus_code" : {
"compound_code" : "C3F2+65 Athlone, County Westmeath, Ireland",
"global_code" : "9C5JC3F2+65"
},
"rating" : 4.8,
"reference" : "CmRbAAAAeJhLEAtKzEaZ3BsoVcYdcD0mK35nmagxtMRDTkEXitI2eR_fS90rsUr65sp13YlLugzeLkC-fJQrvJfbZ9FzO0DhyjyQiifsI_SdttCNflNQoumRh0-JENcgXqWFd_wUEhDPqZJvkyl4d3HRHpa5UzNLGhQ081hZgVh0M36W2PutZOnYlsJ6Hw",
"scope" : "GOOGLE",
"types" : [
"florist",
"grocery_or_supermarket",
"home_goods_store",
"store",
"food",
"point_of_interest",
"establishment"
],
"vicinity" : "Magazine road, Athlone"
},
{
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"lng" : -7.933982299999999
},
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"id" : "335dbc850f70f158aa2023c2f9d894bad2f069eb",
"name" : "Dooley's",
"opening_hours" : {},
"photos" : [
{
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"html_attributions" : [
"\u003ca href=\"https://maps.google.com/maps/contrib/111352362883151837153/photos\"\u003eMichael Carty\u003c/a\u003e"
],
"photo_reference" : "CmRaAAAAor8kyir_1aeJsWXo92PDIl4gNUpql3bGKUeXlH2zo8Uq8QfkOPQS0jwQ_nhuz4UzP1crIPY0wKtajgSQPxlgugNNJW9UOKrAS8-mxghnsfnVE__sDl9ZWWLj8MhRDRKzEhDaCNN-80IOdpWEgWk6hdrAGhQ0_CrCoKsLXQTSFcc1nt5ADx0ifQ",
"width" : 3024
}
],
"place_id" : "ChIJY-Qc2QRJXEgREay8iXABhMM",
"plus_code" : {
"compound_code" : "C3C8+3C Athlone, County Westmeath, Ireland",
"global_code" : "9C5JC3C8+3C"
},
"rating" : 4.6,
"reference" : "CmRbAAAAtHL-8kOfiQcsIBrN81TotZ7IcnEw72N38f7q68cz-W55e5Z-VhIF5R7ZLG9dLy3XZkzIqOZC7w4k-w4UbB5YDIP89qmR_Ety4uMjf0D8ueF_pPsLPib9S_JipDt-kS-gEhAPFiIBWm0mitDS0rdQngO_GhQfb2qa7KMqK6Y76wW8og01gjbrFA",
"scope" : "GOOGLE",
"types" : [ "florist", "store", "point_of_interest", "establishment" ],
"vicinity" : "Golden Island (Kilmaine), Athlone"
},
{
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"lng" : -7.9396458
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"viewport" : {
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"icon" : "https://maps.gstatic.com/mapfiles/place_api/icons/shopping-71.png",
"id" : "66ba2e9350b7d1cd1183c3a278e9946d1e21d0fe",
"name" : "Be Floral",
"opening_hours" : {
"open_now" : true
},
"photos" : [
{
"height" : 1440,
"html_attributions" : [
"\u003ca href=\"https://maps.google.com/maps/contrib/109574484271593171379/photos\"\u003eA Google User\u003c/a\u003e"
],
"photo_reference" : "CmRaAAAAEdHCug6ZcEp839GOoVYKUbWZqeW75DRzStWllllUzRHxmUtBObCmf6kajw6b-nK2aDlSamdKVFAAnWFyU7i4GoATn1JbVz0zRWGI0rmbZdyKQHKbxneo32tT_Pl3HsfPEhAeWIUO2lh-FaI8_Bxr2YwQGhQxy9LgWUd8ckYg3eV-IJJ-uEndPg",
"width" : 1920
}
],
"place_id" : "ChIJ0SZ17ANJXEgR-5UdcJuIpM4",
"plus_code" : {
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"rating" : 0,
"reference" : "CmRbAAAAujL-64C9k6SPSYVmc8RlqQXJBxPvviqqvzgb40ZJAz8kX4wWuqB_HWUO5D6VyTbSfMaUCa02hjVnRNzr9ISM_CdjkmIrNp2akwv7NznYDgF1o9xTGCMluuTT1MtpmFg3EhBS7eM287v1nw-30wu5IN-sGhTqZfI5f-qny12YPXJuvioHSwD-6g",
"scope" : "GOOGLE",
"types" : [ "florist", "store", "point_of_interest", "establishment" ],
"vicinity" : "Lloyd's Ln, Loughanaskin, Athlone"
},
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"lng" : -7.8923063
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"icon" : "https://maps.gstatic.com/mapfiles/place_api/icons/generic_business-71.png",
"id" : "559974f9849741660baafdbd433c5cb934f2f411",
"name" : "Floral Cloud",
"opening_hours" : {
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},
"photos" : [
{
"height" : 609,
"html_attributions" : [
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],
"photo_reference" : "CmRaAAAAe-lw4ZpD_fbD5MTBOoKUOpYCYNTboDxFuu1r_j6elTPIu1_QMrZqzqBYzGf8iirE_feDjzeT6XRRWhTjNbaIBja500_FhA3zTAmibm0HFIoBHDhIGMRdWGfsMsypANB8EhC96QUKzxF5ez38wBflj0gZGhQrXVbi4WDiXebfOmjGVJ4EwFd4bA",
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],
"place_id" : "ChIJMdt-IoFIXEgRmdwzL8HC50Y",
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},
"rating" : 4.3,
"reference" : "CmRbAAAAkRrSGSx0ignasWUpJgWiSPgqqTpbr6ATUy3t-61nqH7FCvpnYmn1784H_CCfCzrSt_1uMrNwPHXRbmjFtbUuG5HAeWA7Db1Pu9G2SK9nvJTWbY6FzvOnjHU0sT2AexqmEhBAIgDxoWfQa9Sw9Pw-GIQVGhRY4qzIaUnfCPRW5HFwu3HEOmsqYA",
"scope" : "GOOGLE",
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},
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"opening_hours" : {
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"photos" : [
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"html_attributions" : [
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"photo_reference" : "CmRaAAAAkEmZoNaP4hqXcTH-3qKlyHNh5KQ3b05D3hASuqJ_oCOjnF0sBoBEGiM_AW111Kd60iwAX3GZMFTbvIB4Fhlg3OcIAlQiZWCBNuSpyUyhi1588s2MJgby7z5amSaGHf3hEhDq2CP7jIbbN6DQjnvHAC8mGhS_U7aX-r_BNy9V0iXMWfv5Wiez1A",
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},
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},
"rating" : 4.3,
"reference" : "CmRbAAAA4PYRNntFEbQ5Bbg9Bzzp9lncwKQOEccTsZ8zLqmdlh5mK0j-7wUCZNjmomBvXcAG_EVvR6wEeaAFkRvs704nZvoBYfbYa2NqAzsF_S2maj-ZyNGrSdaMWsqoXNF3a1vUEhALSMQDnpJUHuIxvQh5U_2PGhRQA_QuMGa5WorYG9eeh0KBpuQfhg",
"scope" : "GOOGLE",
"types" : [ "shopping_mall", "point_of_interest", "establishment" ],
"vicinity" : "Golden Island, Golden Island (Kilmaine), Athlone"
}
],
"status" : "OK"
}