Trade shows and events are thoughtfully laid out to ensure that attendees are able to find the booth, exhibitor, company, or brand that they are after. In order to allow visitors to visualize the space, a trade show map is designed and distributed. Often, this takes the form of a static indoor map, either online or on paper. There are many benefits to creating digital, engaging, and interactive maps to display for visitors. Read on to learn more.

Intuitive Wayfinding

Interactive Trade Show Map

Trade show maps provide attendees and exhibitors alike with an easy and intuitive way to navigate complex venues and large-scale events. With a digital map in place, visitors can enter a company name, booth number, specific products and services, or other locations of their choosing and be provided with the most efficient path. This service increases efficiency, allows visitors to easily find their way, and removes the guesswork for all attendees.

Indoor mapping platforms such as Mappedin's can even account for multi-stop routes and accessibility filters, such as avoiding stairs and escalators. Interactive maps also provide a cost-effective way for event planners to offer maps in a variety of different languages. Rather than printing hundreds or thousands of maps in different languages, visitors can simply toggle between them on a digital, interactive map.

Indoor Positioning

Integrating your trade show map with indoor positioning is another way to enhance the visitor experience. Indoor positioning systems allow users to see their precise location within the context of the venue and provide accurate turn-by-turn directions as attendees navigate the trade show floor. 

Vendor Discovery

Booth Information

While some trade show attendees know exactly which booths or companies they want to see at the event, others may not have done any research before the show began. Without an indoor mapping platform, these visitors may spend the duration of the event aimlessly wandering the exhibition hall. Not only does an interactive map help users who know exactly where they want to go, but it can also provide additional information on what businesses and services are available at the venue. Location details can be easily displayed for attendees, including company name, business website, social media accounts, booth number, business industry or market, and so on.

Search & Category Displays

Features such as Smart Search and category listings can take a trade show map to the next level. Smart Search allows visitors to search by a variety of different terms in order to find their destination. This flexibility is imperative for an event such as trade shows, where users will have varying degrees of information. For example, at an office supply trade show, exhibitors could search by product (e.g. pens, printers, whiteboards), brand (e.g. HP, BIC, Xerox), category (e.g. electronics, furniture, health and safety), or by a specific company or booth number. With an intelligent search platform and detailed category listings, attendees can be sure to make the most of their time in the exhibition centre. 

Marketing & Sponsorships

Engage & Attract Customers

Organizers of events and trade shows can also drive additional revenue through marketing displays and sponsorships with the use of an indoor navigation platform. Mappedin’s Web App, for example, includes the ability to showcase deals, promotions, and events occurring within your venue. Another touchpoint, a Digital Directory mapping solution, is a cost-effective technology that trade show managers can use to expose ad content and events through integrations with advertising partners and dedicated content placements.

For an end-to-end indoor wayfinding offering, an integrated event app paired with indoor positioning technology can send relevant notices and promotions through proximity messaging. Along with these built-in marketing avenues, event managers can even sell these specific content placements and displays to sponsors, providing another stream of revenue.

Location Analytics

Detailed Insights

Indoor maps have long-lasting benefits, even after exhibitors have packed up and the show has ended. Over the course of the event, digital trade show maps collect valuable location and user intent data. Mapping analytics such as most popular searches and categories, language and event selections, device usage, and session length are all key indicators of how users interacted with your event. 

Indoor positioning data can also be used to provide a better understanding of how visitors and attendees travelled through the space. Heat maps, for example, can show crowded or underutilized areas. This type of location data can lead to more informed decisions at future trade shows. 

Digital maps for trade shows and exhibitions are important for a variety of reasons. From providing easy and intuitive wayfinding for attendees, to additional streams of revenue for trade show organizers, and so much more, indoor maps are a must-have at your next trade show event. To learn more, contact us for a free demo today.