Methods

How OpenScout finds businesses without websites.

OpenScout runs entirely in your browser. Add your Google Maps key, choose a location and business type, and it scans nearby listings for businesses that still need a real website.

Get a Google Maps API key

Use this checklist in order. Every link you need is here.

  1. 1
    Open Google Maps Platform and choose a project

    Sign in with the Google account you want to own the key. If you already have a Cloud project, select it. If not, create a fresh project named something obvious, like "OpenScout Leads".

    Open: Google Maps Platform setup Create a Google Cloud project Official getting started guide
  2. 2
    Attach billing before you scan

    Google Maps Platform requires billing on the project for normal Maps, Places, and Geocoding usage. Add a billing account, then set a small budget alert so you get emailed before spending more than expected.

    Open: Cloud Billing Budgets and alerts Manage Maps costs Budget alert instructions
  3. 3
    Enable the three APIs OpenScout needs

    Enable all three on the same project: Maps JavaScript API loads Google Maps in the browser, Places API powers search and autocomplete, and Geocoding API turns typed cities or the Guess button into coordinates.

    Enable: Maps JavaScript API Places API Geocoding API API Library search
    Docs: Maps JavaScript setup Places setup Geocoding setup
  4. 4
    Create the API key

    Open Credentials, click Create credentials, then API key. Copy the key when Google shows it, but do not paste it into public code, GitHub, Discord, or screenshots.

    Open: Credentials page Create API key docs
  5. 5
    Restrict the key before using it publicly

    Click the key you just created. Under Application restrictions, choose Websites and add your allowed URLs. For a hosted site, use your real domain, such as https://example.com/*. For local testing, add http://localhost:*/* and http://127.0.0.1:*/*. Under API restrictions, choose Restrict key and allow only Maps JavaScript API, Places API, and Geocoding API.

    Open: Edit API keys API key security guide Maps key error messages HTTP referrer notes
  6. 6
    Paste it into OpenScout

    Paste the key on the scan page and press Save. It is stored in this browser only with localStorage. OpenScout does not have a backend, account system, or database.

    Open: OpenScout scan page Troubleshooting on this page
  7. 7
    Watch usage after your first scan

    Run one Quick scan, then check Google Maps usage reports. If the scan worked, try Standard. Use quotas or budget alerts if you want stronger guardrails while testing.

    Open: Maps usage metrics Maps quotas Reporting guide Pricing list
Recommended setup for OpenScout

Use one dedicated browser API key for OpenScout, restrict it to your website or localhost testing URLs, restrict it to the three APIs above, create a budget alert, and start with Quick scans until you can see your real usage pattern.

Start setup Credentials Budget alerts Usage metrics Maps JavaScript setup Places setup Geocoding setup Key security

Scan depth explained

Depth sets the starting search grid. Crowded cells that hit Google's result cap are split automatically, so dense areas get extra searches without you asking.

Mode Starting grid Area cap Best for
Quick 2 x 2 (auto-splits) 12 km radius Testing a key or checking a small town.
Standard 3 x 3 (auto-splits) 18 km radius Most normal city searches.
Deep 5 x 5 (auto-splits) 28 km radius Wider metro areas and harder niches.
Why a grid?

Google place searches return at most 20 results per request. OpenScout slices the area into cells, and any cell that comes back full is split into four and searched again — so crowded neighbourhoods stop hiding businesses behind the cap.

How leads are filtered

A business is a lead when Google has no website for it, or the listed link is only a social profile, directory, link-in-bio, booking/ordering page, marketplace, or free site-builder page — from a large, international domain index. Listed real sites are live-checked across http/https and www from your browser, so dead and parked domains surface as leads too.

Fewer false positives

Recognised national chains are dropped (a franchise already has a corporate site, so it is not a prospect), and duplicate listings of the same business are merged — keeping the strongest web presence found, so a shop listed twice never shows up as falsely siteless.

Confidence & accuracy

Each lead gets a calibrated confidence score from how it was classified, the live-check result, how established the business is, and its category. The app shows the average as an estimated accuracy, and the Match-precision control filters the least-certain leads — Balanced keeps the estimated mistake rate under 10%, and Strict tighter still.

What the export includes

CSV exports include the business name, lead type, confidence, web status, address, phone, rating, review count, existing link, coordinates, and Google Maps URL.

Troubleshooting

Most scan problems come from key setup, restrictions, or quota.

The map library will not load

Check that the Maps JavaScript API is enabled and that your HTTP referrer restriction matches the site where OpenScout is running.

Location suggestions are empty

Save your API key first, then confirm Places API access is enabled for that key.

Typed locations fail

Enable Geocoding API and try a more specific query like "Austin, TX" or "Cook County, IL".

Deep scans feel slow

Deep mode runs 25 map searches. Use Standard for daily work, then switch to Deep when a niche or metro area needs more coverage.