Like so many of Google’s signature apps and programs, My Maps has recently undergone significant updates–presenting clear opportunities for the savvy marketer who knows how to leverage them.
My Maps is a proven marketing tool for businesses looking to enhance their local search results on Google. Local marketers have used the feature in the past to create travel guides for tourists as well as maps of their various brick-and-mortar locations within a given geographic area. Yet, largely due to Google’s roller-coaster promotional efforts, many businesses have struggled through a virtual love/hate relationship with the product.
With a recent upgrade representing a complete reconfiguration of the app, however, the improved My Maps should rightly satisfy existing users and attract new business. [tweetable alt="The local #search results from @google my #maps display more detailed information about different businesses" hashtag=""]Its local search results now display detailed information about different businesses, enabling marketers to leverage other local businesses to lead more customers to their own store locations.[/tweetable]
Specifically, companies catering to a particular demographic can now further their targeted appeal by suggesting a visit to nearby and/or similar businesses during a full day of shopping.
My Maps: The Old and The New
The update promises to stimulate My Maps’ resurgence by introducing a collection of new, high-powered functions. These features include map customization by adding icons to each individual end user and enabled saving and sharing of these customized maps via email and social media–very much like how Google Docs currently operates.
Users now have the option of either creating a new map or opening a map they’ve already created once they log onto My Maps. They can search for local businesses, add several locations to a particular map, and determine the distance between each location.
This is particularly advantageous for local businesses because it allows marketers greater flexibility and creativity. The ultimate goal is to improve local search results in order to bring in more users, and the My Maps upgrade is designed to do just that.
Marketers Should Let Their Creativity Run Free
In the world of marketing, creativity really does rule the day. [tweetable alt="#Marketers should utilize the ability of @google My Maps to create promotional personalized #maps" hashtag=""]Marketers who acknowledge the potential of My Maps will utilize it to create personalized and detailed promotional campaigns.[/tweetable]
For example, a sports memorabilia company could create a map of all the travels taken by a championship-winning team en route to victory, or highlight the path traveled by certain memorabilia–such as a jersey worn by a player on that championship-winning team. Points of interest could include the jersey manufacturing plant and the arenas of opposing teams.
My Maps is an excellent tool for crafting a promotional message, yet it won’t help your company unless your marketing team taps into its creative possibilities to tell the audience an engaging story. If your company finds itself neglecting My Maps altogether, you’re missing out entirely on a unique way to connect with your potential customer.
But in order to take full advantage of this resource, remember to engage the customer on a deeper level than simply pointing out your company’s brick-and-mortar locations on a map.