What will your map show? Interactive maps can show points, lines, and polygons indicating a specific place on a background basemap, such as a satellite image. Here are some points you need to consider Some interactive maps use datasets to make a story interesting, while others use scrollytelling and striking design to draw your reader in. The type of interactive map you need will come down to what you're using it for. In this guide, we’ll cover what an interactive map is, how to make an interactive map, and 10 tools to make interactive maps, including: The good news is that, with the rise of interactive mapping tools, teams can now produce maps and integrate them into their content-even on a small budget or without coding skills.
Expertise in geospatial data and web development is thin on the ground in most marketing teams - who typically don’t have ‘map maker’ as one of their in-house hires - which has meant that great interactive map stories have been few and far between. The problem for most web content professionals, though, is that truly interactive online maps have been incredibly expensive to produce and maintain.
Over the last five years, an increasing number of media outlets have used maps to engage their readers on everything from pandemics to weather events. Content professionals - from journalists to marketers - have long understood the power of maps.