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MapQuest Expands Services and Asks Visitors To Pay Up For Subscription Service
Posted by WDN, June 07, 2001
MapQuest Direct(TM) Provides Businesses with Quick and Affordable Way
to Add Maps and Directions to Web Sites to Help Drive Traffic to Store
Locations. Each subscription includes a maximum of 50,000 mapping and directions transactions
each year. If you have a need for more transactions.
MapQuest Launches the Industry's
First Online Custom Mapmaking Service for Small Businesses.
Now More Convenient for Consumers to Locate Businesses and Stores
Online and Get to Them Offline
MapQuest.com, Inc., a world leader in providing online mapping, routing and global location
services, today announced the launch of MapQuest Direct, a new online feature that makes
interactive maps and driving directions available to organizations and businesses for a monthly or
annual fee. Through MapQuest Direct, businesses of all sizes can drive customers to their local
store locations by simply adding the power of the MapQuest business locator to their Web sites.
With this simple yet powerful functionality, businesses can increase customer satisfaction by
making it easier and more convenient for consumers to locate their brick and mortar stores.
The new Web service guides users through an easy, interactive process to create customized
maps and Web pages for their business that display business addresses, highlight location
information and provide driving directions. The MapQuest Direct step-by-step mapmaking
service is now available for an annual subscription fee equivalent to less than $1 per day, so that
even the smallest company with limited resources will be able to tap into the power of mapping
for their business.
"The launch of MapQuest Direct underscores MapQuest's vision to provide the most powerful
mapping product portfolio that responds to the needs of every business," said Michael Nappi,
Vice President and General Manager of AOL Business Solutions. "MapQuest Direct is a
cost-effective tool that provides the best solution for driving customer traffic to businesses of any
size. MapQuest is already the most successful provider of online location-based business
solutions to medium and large companies, and now we're focused on expanding our scalable
product suite to capture the burgeoning small business market," added Nappi.
Web usage studies report that 90 percent of Internet users expect retail Web sites to include a
store locator, with maps and directions to the nearest store location. (Source: NFO March,
1999.)
"In 1996, MapQuest launched the industry's first online mapping site and succeeded in making
interactive maps one of the most popular Internet information resources for consumers and a
standard feature for business Web sites," said Todd Walrath, General Manager of
MapQuest.com, Inc. "With our proven expertise in consumer-focused services, MapQuest is in
a strong position to help businesses of any size make the most of their online investments. We are
committed to continually increasing the value and utility of our mapping services for both
consumers and businesses."
MapQuest Direct Key Benefits
--
Drives More Business - Web site maps drive Web site visitors to real world business
locations.
--
Improves Customer Service - Most common customer questions about locations are
answered online.
--
Increases Web Site Traffic - Useful geographic and location service information increases
repeat site visits.
--
Affordable, Fast and Easy - If the user selects the annual subscription option, the cost is
less than $1 per day. Maps are created online with a few simple steps in minutes, and all
you need is a Web browser and an Internet connection.
--
Customizable Design - Users control the design and branding of the map pages to match
their business sites.
How does it work?
MapQuest Direct is designed with the small business owner in mind. To illustrate: The owner
of Best Bagels has restaurants in five locations. With easy to use MapQuest Direct, the owner
creates a 'locations' link on the Best Bagels Web site, so that Best Bagels' site visitors simply
click on the 'locations' link to view the address locations hosted in the Best Bagels MapQuest
Direct account. Then, Best Bagels' customers just click on one of the five location links to view a
map and get driving directions.
MapQuest Direct Process
1) Identify Business Locations - The user types in addresses of desired business locations for
map pages. The user views the location on the map and selects the zoom level for display.
2) Customize Map Preferences - The user selects Web site color schemes or background
graphics to customize the look and feel of the mapping pages. A company logo and/or headline
text can also be added.
3) Set Up Account & Web link - The user reviews and agrees to a license agreement, creates
a user name and password, provides account information and selects the monthly or annual
subscription option. URL links for the map pages are automatically provided for all business
locations identified and users simply copy and paste these location links into their Web sites.
Pricing
MapQuest Direct customers have the choice between a monthly billing option of $49.95 and
an annual option of $299.40. The annual option offers a 50 percent discount with an equivalent
cost of $24.95 per month. MapQuest Direct, www.mapquestdirect.com, is available
immediately.
America Online, Inc., MapQuest's parent company, is also assisting small businesses with
other valuable services that help build and grow online and offline presence. In addition to
MapQuest Direct, AOL's Netscape(R) NetBusiness site provides a free, one-stop home on the
Internet to help small business owners manage their operations and everyday lives. Netbusiness
offerings include customized information and content, expert advice, convenient Internet tools, a
free online presence through an innovative "Netbusiness Card," and an e-marketplace specifically
designed for small businesses.
More About MapQuest
MapQuest.com, Inc. is the world's leading provider of online, voice and wireless mapping,
directions and destination information to consumers and businesses anytime, anywhere. The
company licenses its business solutions to 2,000 partners, and more than 300,000 Web pages
link to MapQuest.com. Ranked among the 20 most powerful U.S. brands on the Internet,
MapQuest.com is consistently among Media Metrix's Top 30 Web sites. Every month one in
four Internet users accesses MapQuest content, and more than 20 million MapQuest maps are
downloaded each day. MapQuest utilizes wireless and voice recognition technologies to provide
travelers and customers with the tools needed to continually access mapping, driving directions
and other location-based information. MapQuest is available through multiple wireless devices
including Sprint PCS, AT&T PocketNet and Nokia Internet-ready mobile phones, PDAs and
other handheld devices. MapQuest mobile content is also available via BT's GenieMobile and
AOL Mobile in the UK.
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