What are a few different types of Custom Maps?

Mobiddiction as Australia’s custom map experts have created several different types of custom maps including ones that are printed on a flyer to being showcased at an event to one that has way-finding for finding exact locations for users. Custom Maps can be broadly classified in three types, each with similar features but with different focusses and use cases. There a few types of custom maps and how you create and use them depends on the use case.

Type 1:
Google Map as the base with annotated POIs, shapes and lines.
Use this type where you want to display markers, shapes, and lines – on top of a Google Map Street or Satellite view.

Type 2:
Google Map with a custom image overlaid.
Use this type where you want to completely customise the look and style of your map, and still want to display markers, shapes, and lines – over a Google Street or Satellite view.

Type 3:
An image for the map with no underlying geographical referencing or Google map.
Use this type when GPS locations are not needed or not available, or for when stylised representations of the map are more useful than exact representations of real work shape.

Type 1: Google Map base with annotated POIs, shapes and lines

These are great for when you need to show your venue in the context of its larger geography but need more detail that Google Maps provides.

If Google Maps directions gets people to your street address, but doesn’t then get them the final distance to the place they want to be at your street address, this is the map type for you. You use this when have places visible on Google Maps, but where you want to highlight specific features or points or shapes that Google Maps leaves out. You might need to show details like building outlines, entrances, exit points, where reception or loading docks are carpark entrances and customer parking areas as a few examples.

Use this custom map type where you want to display markers, shapes (rectangles/circles/polygons), and lines (routes or boundaries) – and for which the Google Street or Satellite view base is suitable.

Type 2: Google Map with a custom image overlaid

These are for when you have site specific map images that are more relevant or important to your users than the images from Google Maps street or satellite view. Some reasons you might need this include for temporary sites like festivals or events, for sites where Google Maps imagery isn’t up to date and doesn’t show the site as it exists today, and for marketing and branding reasons where you want a different theme or style of the map.

This map type requires a high resolution image with some specific requirements in its production to work properly. Use this where you want to customise the style of your venue, and still want to display markers, shapes (rectangles/circles/polygons), and lines (routes or boundaries). Your custom map image will give way to the underlying Google Street or Satellite view base behind it’s edges.

Type 3: An image for the map, with no underlying geographical referencing or Google map

These are for when GPS tracked locations are not needed or not available, indoor maps often use this type because your phone’s GPS doesn’t often work inside buildings.

These are also used when stylised representations of the map are more useful than exact representations of real work shapes and geometry. When the order and relative positions of place or features on the map are more important than exact angles and distances, stylised maps can sometimes provide more clarity and usefulness than maps that reflect the real work more accurately. Train maps are an extreme example of this – where it’s way more useful to clearly show the order of stations and which rail line they lie on, and distances and directions between stations are not nearly as important to people using the maps to get from one station to another.

Use this where you don’t need any underlying geographical or GPS alignment or where your custom map image is stylised and doesn’t directly align with real work geography.

What is a custom map? When do you need custom way-finding?

Google Maps or Apple Maps for example do not cover areas which are private, such as a recreational resort or hotel for example. They most likely end up at the entrance of the location. This is where we take on, our expert create high resolution maps for private venues is the simple way to look at it.

If your venue is already on Google for example, it might be outdated, perhaps does not have the high resolution details for your venue and does not have details for your visitor or customer such as amenities, or landscape such as buildings that have changed over time and internal way-finding points of interest within your venue.

The other reason you need a custom map if your requirement is temporary such as an outdoor festival, outdoor event or a zoo for example where you want users to know what is around them, at that time and at the location.

Custom Maps enhance outdoor events by overlaying event-specific information. Ideal for showcasing details like those designed for Sydney’s Royal Easter Show Maps including optional walking directions.

Custom Maps can be versatile use across various channels: websites, apps, and even large onsite displays. Type 2 and 3 maps are also easy to use in printed or PDF flyers. Capability to include private walking directions, beneficial for resorts, golf courses, zoos, etc.

Helps visitors navigate specific locations, such as finding the Gorilla enclosure in a zoo or Zone B, Section 1 in a factory which is not that user friendly when it comes to visitors on site.

Custom Maps have a variety of use cases from museum maps to outdoor festival maps, they are also suited for precincts, private venues, golf courses to resorts both outdoor and indoor settings.

Custom Maps are not maps designed to just look good. They are specially designed with spatial requirements and require special skills, planning and technical know how on how Maps are to be implemented. Check out more information and some of our featured custom maps work here and also a few enterprise custom mapping solutions here.

Custom Maps enhances your visitor user experience by providing visually rich, branded and customised detailed maps.

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