Some WordPress Plugins may use the Google Maps API to interact with a Google Map. Without a valid API key, you will see a message on the map which says “This page can’t load Google Maps correctly.” If you were using a plugin or Google Maps feature prior to 2018, you weren’t required to have an API key which is why this message may have not been appearing before.
To use the Maps JavaScript API, you must get an API key which you can then add to your app or website. The API key is used to track API requests associated with your project for quota, usage, and billing.
Google has made a change so you must have billing enabled in order to use the API for maps on your site. This means that you will need to setup a Google Cloud Platform account so that you can generate your own API key for Google Maps.
Enabling Billing on Google Cloud Platform doesn’t mean you’ll allow overages…you can specify your own limits to self police and prevent charges.
Depending on your user role, you may or may not have access to these settings in your WordPress. Once you have acquired your key, you may send it to us and we will add it to your map settings.
For detailed steps and instructions from Google, go to: https://developers.google.com/maps/documentation/javascript/get-api-key