Geospatial Technologies Training Center offers mapping-based advertising & digital marketing workshops

"If you want people to find you--your customers, for example--you need to put your location into the digital databases people use when they're looking for information,"says Shane Bradt, UNH Cooperative Extension's geospatial technology specialist.

"People are turning increasingly to online maps, especially via mobile communication devices, for all sorts of information," he says. "As people move about during their typical day--especially when traveling or on vacation--GPS-based devices are guiding their choices about where to go, what and where to eat, where to stay and what to buy.

"Built-in, car-based GPS navigation units are becoming standard, and stand-alone car GPS units are more affordable than ever. More than 53 million Americans are already using smartphones with built-in GPS technology, both in the car and on the run."

Being seen and found requires getting your information into digital mapping databases.

"To be seen by these map-users, businesses, organizations and towns need to have their information listed correctly in the databases that power the maps and mapping applications in these devices.

That's why we developed a workshop called Putting your Business on the Digital Map.

"The three-hour workshop will teach business owners and organizations how to get their business information into the databases used by mapping applications in car GPS units and smartphone applications. It's quite different from the other workshops we've offered since the Geospatial TechnologiesTraining Center opened in 1998," says Bradt.

Bradt will offer the three-hour workshop 10 times in the coming weeks, twice in each of five locations: October 18 in Manchester, October 25 in Keene, November 1 in Dover, November 4 in Conway, and November 15 in Plymouth.

What you'll learn

"In half a day, you'll learn about the new types of marketing opportunities offered by GPS and smartphones, load your own accurate and descriptive business information into numerous databases and maps used by online, GPS and smartphone mapping applications, and acquire the skills to maintain and update your listing in the most important mapping databases. Quite a bargain!" says Bradt.

Not just for businesses

He adds, "Although business is in the name of the workshop, these events will also be relevant to towns, non-profits, state government departments, or any group looking to promote and/or draw people to locations."

Interested?

Learn more about putting your business or organization on digital maps

Learn more about Cooperative Extension's Geospatial Technologies Training Center