How to Open External Links Directly from Map Markers and Lists

Interactive maps often serve as a starting point for discovering information. While location details provide a great way to display content directly within your map, there are situations where it makes more sense to send users directly to an external website.

With Mapme, you can add links to location descriptions and action buttons. You can also take things a step further by opening an external URL directly when a user clicks a map marker or a location in a list, opening the destination website immediately instead of first opening the location details.

This feature is especially useful for:

• Store locators that direct visitors to individual store websites.
• Property maps that link to dedicated listing pages.
• Event maps that send visitors to registration or ticketing pages.
• Tourism maps that connect users to attraction websites.
• Multi-level or regional maps that use drill-down maps for deeper navigation.

Mapme provides two separate options:

• Open URL on marker click – Opens the location’s Action Button URL when a map marker is clicked.
• Open URL on location click in lists – Opens the location’s Action Button URL when a location is clicked in a category list or search results.

You can enable either option independently or use both together, depending on how users interact with your map.

How to Set It Up

To navigate directly to an external website instead of opening location details:

1. Open the location you want to edit.
2. Expand the Action Button section.
3. Enter the destination URL. Use the full address, such as https://www.mywebsite.com/page1.
4. Leave the button text field empty.
5. Select the preferred link mode: New Tab, Same Tab, or Modal.
6. Enable either or both:
   • Open external URL on marker click
   • Open external URL on click in list

Choosing the Right Link Mode

Same Tab

When linking between Mapme maps, such as a country map that opens individual city maps, we recommend using Same Tab. This creates a seamless drill-down experience and keeps navigation simple.

New Tab

New Tab is typically the best choice when linking to external websites. Users can easily return to your map without losing their place.

Modal

Modal opens the destination page inside an overlay on top of the map. This can be useful when displaying content that users may want to quickly review before returning to the map.

Things to Keep in Mind

• Direct URL opening only works when a valid URL is entered in the location’s Action Button settings.
• If direct URL opening is enabled, clicking the marker or list item will open the URL instead of the location details panel.
• You can configure different URLs for different locations, making this feature ideal for large directories, store locators, and resource maps.

By opening external URLs directly from markers and lists, you can create faster user journeys, reduce unnecessary clicks, and seamlessly connect your map to websites, registration pages, listings, and other online resources.