Google map with postal code and custom marker image

Question

I'm currently using the Google Map's staticmap with a postal code and the standard red marker. I would like to use a custom png image instead of the red marker.

I've tried adding the url of the image with the marker parameter in the url but it gives an error in the map.

<img src="https://maps.googleapis.com/maps/api/staticmap?center=v302t8&zoom=9&size=460x150&maptype=roadmap&key=APIKEY&markers=color:red%7Cv302t8" alt="">

I'd like to be able to use this method as opposed to the geocoding method as they the number of queries is limited.

Answer 1

I don't know what the center location v302t8 ( source of the error? ) is or the final %7Cv302t8 in the map url so I modified the above as you can see below. The map loads OK and displays a custom marker image centred upon the "Tower of London"

The chosen image should be 64px x 64px or less.

https://maps.googleapis.com/maps/api/staticmap?center=51.507336, -0.074968&zoom=15&size=512x512&maptype=roadmap&key=<APIKEY>&markers=icon:http://cdn.akamai.steamstatic.com/steamcommunity/public/images/avatars/af/afeef641914e77b0950eb8b8317bfbf080b69ace_medium.jpg|51.507336, -0.074968

Update: Using a png file also works - again bearing in mind the max dimensions of the marker image

https://maps.googleapis.com/maps/api/staticmap?center=51.507336, -0.074968&zoom=15&size=512x512&maptype=roadmap&key=<APIKEY>&markers=icon:https://cartoon.aminoapps.com/static/bower/emojify.js/images/emoji/skull.png|51.507336, -0.074968