10 tools to create interactive maps

By Kimberlee Meier — Contributing Writer

Content professionals — from journalists to marketers — have long understood the power of maps. Over the last five years, an increasing number of media outlets have used maps to engage their readers on everything from pandemics to weather events.

The problem for most web content professionals, though, is that truly interactive online maps have been incredibly expensive to produce and maintain. Expertise in geospatial data and web development is thin on the ground in most marketing teams — who typically don’t have ‘map maker’ as one of their in-house hires — which has meant that great interactive map stories have been few and far between.

The good news is that, with the rise of interactive mapping tools, teams can now produce maps and integrate them into their content—even on a small budget or without coding skills. 

In this guide, we’ll cover what an interactive map is, how to make an interactive map, and 10 tools to make interactive maps, including:

• Mapbox
• ArcGIS Storymaps
• Google Maps
• StoryMapJS
• Visme
• Zeemaps
• Shorthand
• Felt
• Mapme
• Scribble Maps

Let’s get started!

An interactive map is a form of data visualisation that uses interactive features, such as Google Maps-style dragging and zooming, data points, overlays, statistics, and other information to keep a reader engaged.

Interactive maps are different to your average static maps as they allow the reader to zoom in and out and click on integrated links. This enables content creators to grab the reader's attention and get them more engaged with the story.

Unlike traditional (or 'static') maps, interactive or dynamic maps can handle large data sets of geographic information which can be updated in real-time. They can also be customised to different map styles.

Check out our roundup of interactive map examples to learn more.

You may be scratching your head thinking—why would anyone choose to use static maps instead of interactive maps? 🤔

It comes down to money.

Until recently, producing interactive maps required GIS (that’s Geographic Information System) software. This software can be very expensive and is generally aimed at enterprise companies with large budgets. Even in those companies, its primary use case is almost never marketing or communications.

Even free tools like QGIS require expertise to run, and will generally be too complex for most marketing and communications teams.

But as I said in the introduction, thanks to the rise of more affordable and accessible mapping platforms, apps, and tools, that's all changing.

The type of interactive map you need will come down to what you're using it for. 

Some interactive maps use datasets to make a story interesting, while others use scrollytelling and striking design to draw your reader in. 

Here are some points you need to consider

• Data. What will your map show? Interactive maps can show points, lines, and polygons indicating a specific place on a background basemap, such as a satellite image.
• Design. What do you want your map to look like? Do you want it to be produced with your brand colours? Do you want it to fit into your blog and match the other web design elements in your content?
• Production. How will you build your map? Here is where you get to decide how interactive and impressive you want your map to be. Developing and maintaining a truly interactive map will generally require a developer or GIS resource, so keep that in mind for your budget. 
• Distribution. Where will you publish your map? Will you be able to share it on your website and social media channels? Will you want to embed your interactive map into a content platform like Shorthand so your audience can interact with it?

No matter what you want your interactive map to do, you'll need a specialist tool to build one. Below, we've picked 10 of the best tools that will help you to design the perfect interactive map for your content.