An interactive map is a common request for non-profit organizations looking to create an engaging website. Things like animations or data-driven graphics can be impressive, fun to play, and leave a positive overall impression.
In this post, we break down what people mean when they talk about interactivity. We’ll explore the pros and cons of making interactive maps and data-driven charts, when they’re appropriate, and how to get a great interactive map on your website for free.
What do we mean by ‘interactive? ‘?
All websites are interactive by nature. Users can navigate at will by clicking and scrolling to find information, download documents, fill out forms, etc.
In the context of building a website, many people use the word interactive to refer to something pretty specific. They refer to a discrete feature, such as a map, slideshow, chart, diagram, or animation that can be manipulated without triggering a page load.
We’ll refer to such features as data-driven charts. . Are data-driven graphics on your website necessary to meet needs that basic interactive features can’t? Let’s explore the pros and cons to help you figure out what you need.
The purpose of data-driven charts
The main purpose of data-driven charts is to make complex information understandable and easy to analyze. These types of visualizations are useful when there is a lot of complex data to present and the user needs to be able to analyze that data.
The Difficulties of Data-Driven Charts
The ability to Conveying complex information, streamlining content management, and manipulating data are useful, but they can come at a price.
Data-driven charts can be:
- Expensive to create
- Strong if your data model changes
- Difficult to edit yourself
- Difficult to optimize for mobile devices
- Easy to break or make will look bad if wrong data is added
- Difficult to navigate as the user needs time to learn the interface
How to make an interactive map on your site web
One of the most common requirements on websites for charitable organizations looking to present data is the need to plot things on a map. It is important to show the scope of your work, your field of influence and the success of your projects.
It is possible to create beautiful custom maps with interactive features driven by a database, but such features can be very expensive to produce, so a better approach in many cases is to embed a map from an established mapping system that allows you to plot your own data as a layer on top.
Here are some great mapping tools mapping so you can explore with our recommendations on how to use them.
My Google Maps
We recommend this for small charities to list a number of locations that link to other pages. You can manage multiple maps from one simple interface and easily add pins for all the data you need and then quickly embed them on your website. You can add descriptions and links to each location that will appear in a tooltip when the marker is clicked. You can even group pins into different categories and set different colors for the pins.
Mapbox
An incredibly powerful tool for creating custom maps and visualizing data. This is more aimed at developers, so while it’s very powerful, we don’t recommend using it for a simple map for your website.
Snazzy Maps
This tool is designed to redesign the basic Google Map. It’s easy to get carried away with the details of what the map looks like and forget about the actual data, and is therefore more appropriate for people whose priority is aesthetics over simple data.
BatchGeo
I haven’t had a chance to play around with this much, but it looks great and is highly recommended. This tool seems suitable for larger organizations that want to be able to import data to display on a map instead of manually adding locations. Their introductory video is fun and informative.
Is there a place for a static illustrated map?
Yes, there is. In many circumstances, a simple illustrated map does a better job of conveying the information that is important because you can add text labels or icons that are always present without the user having to click to explore what is hidden. You’ll have much more control over what’s displayed, and you’ll be able to use your brand colors and fonts. Mobile optimization is also much easier. Just remember that it will be harder for you to update, so make sure you only do it with data that doesn’t change frequently.
Questions to Ask Yourself When Assessing Your Needs
If you think you need a data-driven chart or interactive map on your website, ask yourself these questions:
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Download the step-by-step guide
We have created a step-by-step guide on how to add a Google map to your website . If you find this helpful, please consider sharing this page!
Download the PDF guide
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