Yell.com enhances map service as a key driver of usage - 7 December 2005
Yell.com today announces a range of significant enhancements to its map facility, establishing the UK local search engine at the forefront of online mapping services.The new developments recognise the increasing importance and benefit of combining map and location services with a search facility to give detailed directive information. As a result, Yell.com is the only UK local search engine to offer all of the following: large images, maps that are now draggable, aerial photos, routing options, car park locations and diagonal panning.
The specific map improvements are part of a series of developments unique to Yell.com’s mapping and location services and which will offer further usability and appeal. They include:
- Larger map size including those on car park and route pages
- Clearer maps at selected scales
- Addition of aerial photographs which can be overlaid onto maps *
- Real-time ‘draggable’ maps and aerial photographs
- Improved easy-to-use map controls including addition of diagonal pan (NW/NE/SE/SW)
- Notification within route information of when user is entering the congestion zone in Central London
- Intelligent detection of most appropriate default scales for urban and rural requests on maps which pinpoint the location of each business
- Improved maps in Northern Ireland, including more zoom levels and clearer map images in the Belfast area
The improvements are in addition to Yell.com’s existing features which include the plotting of multiple businesses on one map, obtaining driving and walking directions and locations and cost of the nearest car parks.
Using an enhanced maps service from Multimap, the mapping and location-based services specialists, these improvements make it even easier for Yell.com users to search and locate any of its two million business listings. Aerial photography is provided by Getmapping.
Eddie Cheng, president of Yell.com, said: “This is a very exciting development that makes best use of state-of-the-art mapping technology. It is a substantial expansion to our mapping and routing service that we have offered for all listings since 2001 and recognises the demand amongst consumers for high quality, directive information.
“The new services complement our outstanding ability to provide relevant local search results and make it easier than ever before for our consumers to find whatever they need, wherever they are.”
* Aerial photographs not currently available in Northern Ireland or Scotland.
