Four Creative Ways to Use Interactive Maps to Boost Your Marketing & Sales

Interactive maps now offer a dynamic way to engage audiences, especially in marketing and sales. Whether you’re managing a venue or promoting a destination, custom maps can transform how you present your space, build customer relationships, and drive conversions.

Creating memorable experiences is key to capturing attention. Interactive maps can do more than guide, for they can engage users in ways that traditional methods can’t match. With Threshold 360, you can turn any location into a digital experience that inspires visits and boosts engagement. In this article, we will highlight four creative ways to use interactive maps to drive marketing and sales efforts. 

1. Elevate Product Discovery 

Interactive maps can make product discovery a seamless and engaging experience. Take, for example, 210 Brewing Co.

They’ve used a custom Threshold 360 map to show all the places customers can purchase their beers. When a visitor lands on their website, they are greeted not just with information about their brews but with an intuitive way to find the nearest store carrying their product.

Why does this work so well?

  • Direct Path to Purchase: Instead of leaving customers to search aimlessly, the map connects online visitors with the nearest retailers or stores in a few clicks.
  • Enhanced Experience: It’s not just about showing where your products are sold. It’s about giving your audience an interactive experience, boosting the likelihood that they’ll turn a digital touchpoint into an in-person purchase.

How to Apply This Strategy:

  • If you have products available in multiple locations, create an interactive map on your website where customers can quickly see where they can purchase them.
  • Emphasize stores with high stock or special promotions to drive foot traffic.

2. Enhance Event Experiences for Attendees

For conferences and events, planning the attendee experience is crucial. Visit Ithaca integrated a Threshold 360-powered custom interactive map into their website to help conference attendees plan their trip seamlessly. It enables visitors to see nearby landmarks, dining spots, and entertainment venues all in one place.

Why does this matter?

  • Personalized Planning: Attendees can tailor their travel itinerary, ensuring they know where to go for each meal, meeting, or leisure activity.
  • Memorable Engagement: By curating not just the event but the full travel experience, attendees are more likely to connect emotionally with the event, the venue, and the host city.

How to Apply This Strategy:

  • If you host events, include an interactive map on your event website to help attendees plan where to stay, eat, and explore.
  • Consider segmenting the map based on themes or interests, like “best coffee shops,” “nightlife,” or “family-friendly spots,” to cater to different visitor types.

 

3. Integrate into Marketing Toolkits

The integration of interactive maps doesn’t just end at visitor engagement; they can also be an essential asset in marketing toolkits. Visit Kansas City has effectively used custom maps as part of their meeting planner toolkit, offering a guide for where to host meetings, dine, and unwind around the city. By integrating hotspots like convention centers and surrounding attractions into the map, it helps planners and attendees easily navigate the city.

Why does this matter?

  • Improved Planning for Planners: Meeting planners need to ensure that venues, hotels, and restaurants are all easily accessible for their attendees. A well-designed interactive map removes the guesswork.
  • Spotlight on Venues and Local Businesses: By highlighting hotspots like convention centers and unique attractions, these maps not only serve event attendees but also drive business to the featured locations.

How to Apply This Strategy:

  • Develop custom maps as part of your marketing toolkit for meeting planners and event coordinators.
  • Highlight hotels, meeting spaces, restaurants, and activities that align with the needs of different events.

 

4. Address Accessibility

Accessibility is a significant concern for many visitors, and ensuring your location or destination is welcoming for everyone can set you apart. Visit Greenville created a virtual accessible tour, helping visitors with accessibility needs explore the city with confidence. The map provides details on participating restaurants, accessible routes, parking spaces, potential barriers, and more.

Why does this matter?

  • Inclusivity and Transparency: By offering detailed accessibility information, you showcase your commitment to inclusivity and build trust with potential visitors.
  • Ease of Travel Planning: Individuals with accessibility needs can explore their options and plan their visit without unexpected surprises.

How to Apply This Strategy:

  • Develop a map on your website with information on accessibility features like parking, ramps, elevators, and restroom availability.
  • Incorporate details like typical noise levels, menu readability, and lighting conditions for those with sensory sensitivities.

Interactive maps have evolved into powerful marketing and sales tools that can enhance product discovery, improve event experiences, support marketing strategies, and promote inclusivity. By using Threshold 360, businesses and event planners can turn their physical locations into immersive online experiences that not only inform but inspire action.

Whether you’re a business aiming to drive foot traffic, an event planner crafting memorable journeys, or a destination marketer striving to connect with new audiences, custom maps can be your key to engaging and converting potential visitors.

Learn how you can harness the power of interactive mapping to transform your business by visiting Threshold 360.