Moving your markers into different groups, change icon, add extra tabs, etc. are possible in a single update.

Click2Map provides you a professional and productive application. Updating your markers one by one become now obsolete.

Go kindly to Bulk operations menu. And choose the action you need to apply to your markers.

• Geocode

You edit different addresses of your markers and you don’t want to geocode them manually.

If you need to locate them correctly on your map, use Geocode command. The editor will geolocate them automatically on the map.

• Move – Copy – Delete Markers

Move your markers into groups or a different map easily.

You can also duplicate or delete them.

• Apply a Marker Template

You created a marker template and you need to apply it on your markers. Bulk operations are perfect for this kind of operation.

The same contact email address, same web links, identical tabs, personalized data fields… for all your markers are updated in one action.

• Change Icon

A mass update of your markers’ icon is available with batch updates.

You want to change all? Select All and, then, choose the icon you need.

• Add / Remove Extra Tabs

You can add new extra tabs of text, photos and also HTML code to several amrkers at the same time.

Just like it’s possible to delete all your extra tabs of your markers in one action.

• Change displayed items

You imported your 800 markers and you realize you don’t need to display all coordinates in their description. Bulk operations are the best to hide them all.

Display or hide others elements like tabs, markers’ descriptions, addresses, web links or email addresses.

• Change web link / Email / Tags

Add some identical tags to your markers by using Change Tags command.

You can also modify email addresses and web links, available in your markers’ description.

• Change description

Same process for the description of your markers. You can modify and apply it for multiple markers.

In our example here, we need some information for our pizzeria restaurant locator as addresses, opening hours, amenities, email contacts and website URL.

Generaly, a store locator involves multiple elements and creating all your points one by one on a map would be a waste of time.

Here are 6 steps for a complete process from the creation of your personalized interactive map to its publication.

1- Create your map

First, open the editor and in the Add menu, create a new Map.

Fill in the different information : Title, Description…

Center the map on the area you need.

2- Create data categories and data fields

In the previous post How to organize your personal Click2Map database?, we have created two data categories and some fields attached:

• Opening hours: opening hours of each store
• Amenities: drive-thru, non-stop service, mobile payment and free wifi.

These data fields will be useful and added in our markers.

If you need more information in your points, for instance telephone numbers, create as many fields as you want in My Database menu > Properties.

3- Create a template

In our Pizzeria Locator example, the opening hours are in markers’ description and amenities in an extra tab. We chose to display addresses and filled in the URL and Email fields.

This step will permit you to create the template for your markers of your choice. Notice you can create several templates for one import.

The template is completely customized. You will be able to place the previous data fields in your markers wherever you want.

(More info in the post How to gain time by using markers template with your database?)

Tips and Tricks: if you need to organize your markers into groups with a default icon for instance. We advise you to create your groups before the import. Put the same title than the one in your Excel file (See step 4 below). And put a default icon to each group created. If you need one icon for all your markers, just put a default icon in your template.

4- Prepare and check your Excel file

You created your database, your marker template and now you want to import your addresses and the different information which will be present in your markers. But, first you need to prepare your Excel file.

If you want to gain time and match automatically your personalized elements with those of Click2Map, the title of each column has to be correctly written.

General

• Title
• Name
• Addresses
• Latitude
• Longitude
• URL Text
• URL Address
• Email Text
• Email Address

Personalized data fields

• OpeningHours.Monday
• OpeningHours.Tuesday
• OpeningHours.Wednesday
• OpeningHours.Thursday
• OpeningHours.Friday
• OpeningHours.Saturday
• OpeningHours.Sunday
• Amenities.Drive-Thru
• Amenities.24-HourService
• Amenities.FreeWifi
• Amenities.MobilePayment

Organization

• Template: enter the name of the template previously created
• Groups: for each marker, fill in the name of the groups you need to organize your marker.

Once your Excel file is ready, you can convert it to a CSV file. You don’t know how? Read this article How to import venues from an Excel or CSV file.

5- Import your own addresses

It’s time to import your own file and fill in your database.

Go to Add menu > Markers from a file.

Follow the different steps.

The system will map your fields with your Click2Map categories automatically, if your file has been well prepared.

If some elements are still highlighted, you can manually associate them with the elements in the second column.

Click on Import and that’s it! The editor geolocate your points automatically on the map.

6- Publish your map

Now your map is ready, you can publish it. Go to Publish menu and choose the right option for you: share as a widget or via an URL link (premium options) or download on your own server.

When the Publish Map box is displayed you can personalize your map colors, font or change the type of map… (For more info read How to personalize your map before sharing it)

When you choose to embed your interactive map in your website as a widget, you receive a HTML code. You can easily put this code in your blog and your facebook page (Read the post How to publish your map on your blog or your Facebook page?).

Divided in 4 parts, you can define different parameters: Layout, Settings, Functions, Custom Style.

Design your map to match to your corporate identity and style guide.

First, choose the desired map and click on the Publish menu.
Then, 2 solutions are presented to you: publish your map as a widget and embed it in any webpage or share it via a URL link.

1. Sidebar and Footer personalization

First, you can personalize the width and the position of the sidebar. Or even totally remove it from your map.

It’s possible to add direction and search tabs too. Your users will be able to create an itinerary between two points on your map and search terms, addresses, etc. in your markers’ content.
You can also choose to show or hide your drawings in the sidebar (they will remain visible on your map).

Secondly, the footer’s text can be customized by adding your website and your email contact information.

When you choose to publish your map online on Click2Map’s servers, you have the possibility to add a Google Advertisement thanks to your Adsense Affiliate ID.

2. Map controls

In the Settings section, define the zoom control and other map parameters like showing the scale or the overview.

You can change the type of your map too: Map, Hybrid, Satellite or Terrain.

It’s possible to choose here the type of zoom control or to hide it completely.

3. Parameters

If for instance, in the previous part, you chose to hide the zoom control on your map and you need to block the zoom via the users’ mouse, you can do so here. make sure the Enable Zoom box is unchecked.
Moreover, you can prevent the map dragging by unchecking the Enable Map dragging option.

Highlight markers box concerns the red circle around your icon when you select it.

Enable the clustering allows you to cluster multiple markers close to each other in one point.

Display an address finder on your map is a good way to allow your users find easily a point on your map near to them.

4. Style and colors

In the Custom Style section, you will be able to modify the colors and the font of different map elements.

If you add some tabs to your Sidebar, you probably need to change the tab and font colors, so that they will match to your corporate identity.
Likewise the color of the widget border and the text of your markers and groups.

The color of the Background is also editable.

If you choose to publish your map online on Click2Map’s servers, Main Elements tab is displayed and you can personalize the size, the font and the color of the title, the footer’s text and the description of your map.

 

Tips and Tricks: Position correctly your map in the explorer view. That’s this view will be visible to your users on the start-up of your map.

You can create as many tabs as you need and use them to add as much content as you want, except the Photo tab which can contain only one photo.

So, the Code tab exists in order to enrich your marker with multiple content types, images or videos. It permits to embed any kind of HTML code. Adding images, a slide show, a video, everything is possible!

Let’s start from the beginning. HTML, what is it?

HyperText Markup Language, commonly referred to as HTML, is the standard markup language used to create web pages. It is written in the form of HTML elements consisting of tags enclosed in angle brackets (like <html>). HTML elements form the building blocks of all websites. HTML allows images and objects to be embedded and can be used to create interactive forms. It provides a means to create structured documents by denoting structural semantics for text such as headings, paragraphs, lists, links, quotes and other items.

(- Wikipedia definition)

Even without expertise, embed some lines of code in your webpages and, particularly, in your markers, become conceivable.

HTML coding basics

For the most inexperienced of you, here are some basis of HTML code to form a text, embed a link or an image.

1/ Form a paragraph

• Text alignment

To line up your text, it suffices to place your paragraph between the two HTML tags <p align=”…”>…</p>.

• Alignment to the left

<p align="left">The text is lined up to the left.</p>

Result:

The text is lined up to the left.

• Alignment to the right

<p align="right">The text is lined up to the right.</p>

Result:

The text is lined up to the right.

• Centered alignment

<p align="center">The text is centered.</p>

Result:

The text is centered.

• Justified text

<p align="justify">The text is justified. It requires two lines and more text for a paragraph. 
So, you will be able to see this example correctly. The text is justified. It requires two lines 
and more text for a paragraph. So, you will be able to see this example correctly.</p>

Result:

The text is justified. It requires two lines and more text for a paragraph. So, you will be able to see this example correctly. The text is justified. It requires two lines and more text for a paragraph. So, you will be able to see this example correctly.

• Line break

To force a line break in a text, place the tag <br>.

You need a line break at this exact spot <br>to form your paragraph.

Result:
You need a line break at this exact spot
to form your paragraph.

2/ Insertion of a link

To embed a link in a text, you have to put the concerned sentence between the different tags: <a href=”…”>…</a>

• Put a link into one of your page

<a href="new-version-of-click2map-is-coming-616">Example of a blog post</a>

Result:
Example of a blog post

• Open a link in another window of your browser

<a href="new-version-of-click2map-is-coming-616" target="_blank">Example of a blog post</a>

Result:
Exemple of a blog post

• Put a link into another website www.

<a href="https://www.click2map.com/" target="_blank">Click2Map website</a>

Result:
Click2Map website

• Put a link into an email

<a href="mailto:support@click2map.com">Click2Map support</a>

Result:
Click2Map support

3/ Insertion of an image

To insert a picture in a text or a page, it suffices to put the link of the image in the tag <img src=”…”>.

• Define the path of the image

<img src="logo.png">

Result:

• Add a frame to the image

<img src="logo.png" border="1">

Result:

<img src="logo.png" border="3">

Result:

• Line up an image

To line up your picture, you can add align=”…” in your HTML tag.

• Alignment to the left

<img src="logo.png" align="left">

Result:

• Alignment to the right

<img src="logo.png" align="right">

Result:

• Centered alignment

<img src="logo.png" align="center">

Result:

Example: insertion of an image with an URL link as a caption

Open the editor.

Go kindly into the concerned marker and click on Extra tabs.

Click on the Code button.

And embed the following code in the blank box:

<p style="text-align:center;"><img src="http://photography.nationalgeographic.com/u/TvyamNb-BivtNwcoxtkc5xGBuGkIMh_nj4UJHQKuoX2qVisnEW07zLsqCPS7VXCJq-rbu87qfeSDfQ/" alt="Image" width="260px"/>
<br><a href="http://photography.nationalgeographic.com/photography/photo-contest/2014" target="_blank" title="Source National Geographic">Source National Geographic</a></p>

Result:

Click on the image or on this link to consult the interactive map.

Ready to code?

There’s an efficient website where you can do some code tests with a live preview of the result. A really useful tool before modifying and coding your webpages and your markers!

Tryit Editor

All you need to do is test some code lines to embed them in a Code tab of your markers.

And if you are stuck, don’t hesitate to contact us at: support@click2map.com

1. Activate GPS location

First, GPS location must be activated in your phone’s settings.

You then have to click on the arrow at the right top of your screen in the mobile app. The arrow will turn blue and after few seconds, a blue point will be displayed on the map at your current GPS position.

2. Import your own points

You can’t import your own address file in the mobile application. This feature is available only in the editor. However, all modifications are automatically synchronized when you update your maps in the editor and the mobile app.

3. Zoom in – Zoom out

It’s really easy to zoom in your map:

• You can use the +/– buttons at the bottom left of the app screen
• You can also simply pinch in or out the touch screen with your fingers
• Finally, you can double-tap a finger on the screen to zoom in and tap with two fingers to zoom out.

4. Consult the statistics

For detailed statistics with graphs and specific figures about your markers, please connect to your web account.

Some indications are available for each maps in the mobile app. Press the Publish button at the bottom of the app screen to display the active map statistics:

• The date when the map has been published
• The number of markers added on the concerned map
• The number of unique visitors
• The number of visits
• The number of generated clicks on your map
• The URL link of your map

5. Create an itinerary between 2 points of your map

It’s possible to create an itinerary between 2 points of your map or for example from your GPS position to one point of your map.

You can touch the starting point or the arrival point of your choice. In the displayed window, choose your destinations among the following proposals: the concerned marker, an address or your GPS location (make sure that your GPS location on your phone is activated).

6. Photos in markers’ description in the mobile application

Photos are not displayed in your markers’ description. But they will be visible for the visitors of your map when published.

7. Change the map type to satellite view

Press the i icon at the top left of the app screen to access the map option screen: you just have to choose ‘Hybrid’ in the Type of map list.

8. Limit of the number of markers

You can add unlimited markers if you subscribe to our paid plans. However, beyond 1000 markers, the mobile app may become slow or unresponsive.

9. Modify personal information

It’s not possible to modify your personal information directly in your mobile account. But you can write at support@click2map.com and give us the modifications you need.

10. Transform geographical coordinates of a marker to decimal coordinates

You can press the Options button at the bottom right of the app to access the app’s parameters: in the Options section, turn on Decimal coordinates. All coordinates will from now on be displayed in decimal form in marker descriptions.

Two options are possible to publish your maps with Click2Map: you can share them via a url link provided by the editor or publish them as a widget and embed it in a web page (Read How to publish on website or share a map?).

Of course, you can circulate the URL address provided by the Click2Map editor on your social media, either in your blog posts or in the form of ‘status’ on your social networks, in particular Facebook. However, if you wish to embed your map permanently, the best solution is to publish it as a widget.

Open Click2Map editor and go to ‘Publish’ menu.

When you click on ‘A widget Online on Click2Map’s servers’ button, a window is displayed in which multiple personalization options are available. You can choose the type of map, font colors, zoom level, etc. (we will be back soon on these points with a special post about Click2Map widget personalization).

If you are satisfied with your map’s customization, confirm by clicking on ‘Publish’. The editor will give you the HTML code of your map.

What to do with this HTML code? 

• On your professional blog

At the creation of a new blog post, on any platform (WordPress, Blogger, Overblog…) you have the possibility to transform your article in a HTML format.

Sometimes, ‘HTML’ or ‘Source’ buttons make it possible to do that, in other cases like the WordPress example below, it’s a tab.

You just need to paste your map’s HTML code into this specific space and validate.

Your map will be displayed in your article where you embedded it.

• On your company Facebook page

Currently, there’s no possibility to add HTML code directly on your Facebook page. But, tools exist to add extra tabs which can contain HTML code.

So, making a map available to your ‘fans’ becomes possible.

Here are some tools which will be useful to integrate these new tabs.

• Static HTML
• PageYourself
• Woobox Custom Tab

They allow you to create tabs which will be displayed in your main menu, next to ‘Timeline’, ‘About’,‘Photos’, etc.

They are completely personalized with your map, but also with your images, your videos, your brand colors…

Now you hold all the cards to embed your map in your blog and your Facebook page.

Create a map with Click2Map

• Opening Hours: opening times for each store
• Amenities: services for each store like free wifi, mobile payment, 24-Hour service, drive-thru.

After we filled in information in our database (My database > Edit Values), we need to insert them in a marker template. It will be applied to all our markers.

In this case, we need to display the opening hours in the markers description and the amenities for each store in a specific extra tab.

Go to ‘Libraries’ menu > ‘Marker Templates’ button.

‘Add’ a new template and fill in the different cases:

• Template Name: Store Locator
• In the description, enter the data fields previously created

• To make it easier for visitors to locate the stores, we check the ‘Display Address of markers’ option.

• You can easily change the default icon too and choose a new one in the Click2Map galleries as we do here.

Then, choose ‘Extra tabs’ and add a Text tab.

• Caption: Amenities
• Content: type the data fields created in the previous blog post

The template is finished! Now you can apply it to your markers.

Go to ‘Bulk operations’ menu and ‘Apply a Marker Template’ button.

Select the concerned markers and confirm. You can notice all your markers are filled with the information from your database.

In this previous article, we described the most important part of a Store Locator creation: Setting down markers on your map.

• 1st Step:Create your Map
• 2nd Step:Constitute your Groups
• 3rd Step:Set Down your Markers
• 4th Step: Publish your Map
• 5th Step: It is time to Customize!

Today let’s see the last part of a Store Locator creation: publish and customize your map!

• Publish your map

First you created your map, your categories and then placed your markers on your map. Now, you are ready to publish it and share it with your network.

You have 2 possibilities with Click2Map: you can choose to embed a widget on your website or redirect the map on an online URL hosted on Click2Map.

Generally, your goal is to make sure your store locator ranks high in the list of results when a request like “Brand + city” is performed on Google. For that purpose, the store locator has to respect some good practices of SEO: dedicated URL, local and specific content on each city or shop.

• It is time to customize!

Last step and not the least, is the personalization of your widget.

It is important to make sure your widget matches the presentation and aspect of your website. To do that, you can use the publication options to change basic visual elements or you can call us if you need more complex map personalization.

With the basic layout tools of Click2Map Editor, you have the possibility to add a search, a directions tabs in your widget, and an address finder which allows users to find stores near to their location.

That’s it… your map is finished!

Tips and Tricks: don’t forget that your Store Locator need to be mobile friendly. Indeed, ⅓ of English mobile users and more than 40% of American mobile users have already used their cellphones to find a location or opening hours of the nearest shop. 24% of mobile requests on Google and 53 % of Bing requests have a local feature.

You know all the basics to start your Store Locator Map. Now, we are waiting for you on Click2Map!

According to your needs, sometimes, it’s interesting to create markers individually one by one but, it suffices to create a dozen of points and this task becomes long and tedious. So, a feature exists in Click2Map : import a CSV file in a single operation, which allows you to import your own addresses file.

One last method is also conceivable: the creation of a marker from a template. When you have several identical points, it’s really easy to create an unique template and apply it on all your points and update them automatically, without modifying them one by one.

Let’s see together these 3 methods to add your markers on a map without the slightest effort with Click2Map.

1/ Create a marker individually

In the main menu, go to ‘Add’ > ‘Marker’ menu.

When the window displays, enter the required information: title, description if needed, address (or geographical coordinates if you know them).

It’s possible to add additionnal properties like the url link you need to bring out in the marker infowindow or a contact email address.

Not forgetting you can add an extra tab and brighten up your marker with photos, videos, text or any HTML code.

2/ Create by importing a CSV file

Import your own customers, business partners or suppliers files… everything is possible!

Go to the ‘Add’ menu > ‘Markers from a file’

In a few steps, you will able to import thousands of addresses easily:

• Make sure that the CSV file is compatible with the CSV Click2Map structure
• Associate the columns of your file with the existing elements in Click2Map
• The editor geocodes automatically your addresses and locates them on your map

For more information, read How to import venues from an Excel or CSV file?

In a few minutes, all your points are located and pined on your map and you just have to publish and share it with your network.

3/ Create from a marker template

The templates are an efficient way to create markers with communal caracteristics (identical description, the same url links or contact email address, communal photos, same icons, etc.).

Thus, you have the possibility to:

• create directly a marker from a template: ‘Add’ menu > ‘Markers from a template’

• create your template beforehand, then thanks to bulk operations, you apply to multiple markers, in the event for instance that your points could already be imported : ‘Libraries’ > ‘Marker Templates’, create your template then, in ‘Bulk Operations’ > ‘Apply a template’.