Simpleview’s Map Publisher is a DMO’s roadmap to 

  • building more engaging web content 
  • offering interactive and custom print maps 
  • helping visitors navigate your destination or event

Perhaps no DMO illustrates the exciting advantages of Map Publisher quite like Kansas Tourism. They offer visitors interactive maps by region, by city, by persona (from motorcyclists to foodies to history buffs); for Yellow Brick Road Trips, “Top Ten” Road Trips, Byway Stops, and … Fried Chicken Wars?

Kansas Tourism’s  Map Publisher Use Case can tell you more about all of that, from how they use interactive and personalized maps across their destination website to how they build out their blogs with them to create more engaging and useful content; how the maps make their jobs easier (need to edit an interactive map? No problem!) to how they make their visitors’ journeys easier.

The Kansas story beautifully illustrates that DMO options with Map Publisher are as endless as your marketing team’s and visitors’ ideas. Interactive website maps by persona; mobile app maps by tour type; high-quality poster-sized maps for conference venues; handheld print maps with QR codes so visitors can switch to interactive maps as they travel. So … how should you get started on all of these great ideas?

If you’re thinking about putting Map Publisher to work for your DMO, talk to your account manager today. Below are a few tips to get you started on strategy from Logan Hildebrand, the Kansas Tourism’s Digital Media Manager:

3 Tips for DMOs to Get the Most Out of Map Publisher Maps
 

“Initially it does take development time, so if you have an employee who can plan the maps, that’s helpful,” said Logan.

Below is a three-step roadmap for guidance.

  1. Picture how you want your maps to look. “Map Publisher is really great at the customization, so you can make the maps fit your site with colors, logo, text. We could make it fit our feel,” said Logan. You can also make them fit the size and feel of your Visitors Guide or the branding of your special event or conference.
  2. Set up a few at first, to see what you think. Chances are, like Logan, you’ll see how easy it is to generate ideas for interactive and print maps once you learn all the features and functionality of Map Publisher. For example, “Maps help create a break in content on your site, so if you have struggling pages or white space, they’re a good (content) option, and your users can click through to listings, so you’ll get more listing views,” advises Logan. Start with a few ideas, implement them, and see what you think and what you might want to adjust. Then, see what users might think.
  3. Create a focus group. Find some users that don’t know your site well to give you feedback. Logan’s team does this. You’ll get insights into what they think of the look of the maps, how they might use them, and maybe even a few suggestions and new ideas.