Google Maps

Who can remember what it’s like to be lost? Hardly anyone apparently. 7 out of 10 people in the UK now own a smart phone and can access services like Google Maps out on the go.

So, there’s no need to buy a map, learn a foreign language or politely ask a policeman for directions any more, you just thumb a few keys in your phone and away you go.

Maps, atlases and A-Z street guides weren’t the first casualty of the search engine wars and they certainly won’t be the last. But what lessons can be learned? Well, any service that makes customers jump through hoops to find their contact details can learn a thing or two from Google.

Google Maps present some interesting opportunities for businesses that want to remove unnecessary steps in their conversion processes. Clients can zoom into maps and save time finding a place to park, they can type in their location and see how long a trip to your office will take, all without leaving your website.

Your visitors can also scan a QR Code instantly zapping all your company information into their mobile phone. If turning web traffic into real inquiries is your end-game then Google Maps can be incredibly helpful. It shows your customers you’re a forward thinking business and removes unnecessary steps to give them exactly what they want – when they want it. A business that hides it's details is going to struggle against one that can produce them in a fraction of a second.