Company MD Magnus Rademeyer says the maps are entirely free for the first 10 000 views a month. This is done by placing advertising down the side of each map served. The revenue generated from the advertising is shared with the company using the maps on a 60:40 basis to make it mutually beneficial.
"What this means is that people can monetise the use of the map on their Web site," Rademeyer says. "So, for example, if a blogger integrated the interactive map into their Web site and all the people who read the blog used the map whenever they needed directions, then the blogger would earn revenue from the advertising on each map served just as they would from banner and text advertising on their site," he explains.
Companies could take the idea one step further by creating exposure for their suppliers or partners on the maps. "The maps can, therefore, be used to promote companies' partners or suppliers to people who visit them and to those who may just be using the site to get good directions," Rademeyer adds.
"Whatever the case, the aim of making interactive maps freely available is to create awareness about the power of location based services and how useful accurate maps are in assisting people with finding geographical information that they need."
To get started, Rademeyer says people simply have to visit maps.AfriGIS.co.za and register for free. They will then receive a key to AfriGIS' map server, which is then integrated into the code of their Web site.
"Once this has been done, the Web site displays an interactive map. Anyone visiting the Web site will be able to use the map to find the route from one point to another. Additional functionality includes being able to zoom in and out, specifying the coordinates and scale of where the map should open on the Web site and adding points to the map.
"Additional points of interests that can be added to the map could include the company's position on the map, shopping malls in the area, petrol stations, emergency services, schools and more, allowing a company, whose geographical position is important, to maximise the benefit of their location to their customers," he adds.
The maps can also be used to find directions to any other location by specifying the starting and finishing points, opening up the maps for general use. The maps work across all major browsers including Internet Explorer 6 and 7, FireFox, Opera and Safari. AfriGIS has built up a comprehensive database of maps and these are constantly being improved, Rademeyer says. Free updates will be made available quarterly.
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