Amidst all the whiz bang mapping apps showed off at Where 2.0, MapQuest Gm James Greiner brought everything back to Earth with a survey showing that just 42 percent of Internet users use mapping sites, and relatively light penetration of advanced mapping services. That’s good (if self-serving) news for MapQuest, which has been adding new features at a steady pace but is considered less advanced than Google, Microsoft et al. The survey also found that just 22 percent want to post a map publicly (i.e. on a blog or Website).
Greiner’s survey, conducted with 732 Internet users, showed that MapQuest remains the most used brand, with 2/3 of online map users at least occasionally going on the site. The survey found that while advanced imagery (i.e. 3D maps) is considered interesting, with 47 percent planning to use it, just 18 percent currently do.
The demand for personalized features may be hotter than advanced imagery, with interest jumping from 49 percent to 68 percent when examples of usage were provided. The survey also found that 75 percent want to save addresses; 55 percent want to share with family and friends; 59 percent want Points of Interest on maps; 50 percent want to increase the presence of storefronts on maps; and 50 percent want the ability to search select vendors and/or services.