We have three exciting improvements to share with you today: an improved GeoToolkit interface, two new default timespan options for StoryMaps, and a faster, more reliable feed editor.
We’ve spruced up GeoToolkit to make it super-fast and easy to get a StoryMap for your blog! Our changes have streamlined the process of signing up for GeoToolkit and grabbing a StoryMap and clarified the connection between the pins on a StoryMap and the geotagging done in our feed editor.
How did we get here? In November, we brought three New York bloggers in to do usability testing on the process of signing up for StoryMaps: Natalie of Little Miss Moonshine, Evan of The King is Naked, and Shawn of The Hatter’s Rant. None of these bloggers were familiar with outside.in or StoryMaps, so we showed them the lovely map on Gotham Gal‘s blog and asked them to try to get one for their own site, recording their actions with Silverback and watching to see where the process could be improved.
The most exciting revelation was the disconnect all testers felt between the StoryMap and our feed editor. Since all three of these bloggers only write about place occasionally, none of them had pins on their StoryMaps and didn’t know they needed to go to the feed editor to add places to their stories. Their reactions and feedback were invaluable to our improvements to the signup process and interface for getting a StoryMap.
Many of you already familiar with StoryMaps have asked us for options to map breaking news or go deeper into your archives. Well, guess what! We listened. We’ve added two new default timespan options: one day and one year. If you already have a map, the new timespan options have appeared automatically. How’s that for science? If you don’t have a map, go to outside.in/geotoolkit, register your site, pick the time frame and the size of your map, click update, and voila!
Wondering how to ensure pins will be on your map? First, write about places, mention them by name, and publish a full text RSS feed. (For more on full text RSS, see this post.) Second, take control of your geotagging with our vastly improved feed editor. Under the “Place Your Stories” tab, you can add places, neighborhoods, towns, and cities to your posts and bring in stories that have been skipped. We’ve solved the mystery behind “this story has been deleted since it was originally accepted” message, so your posts will no longer be accidentally deleted. The whole system is faster and more stable. With it’s new reliability, you have all the more reason to use this great tool!
GeoToolkit and StoryMaps are better than ever, easier to use, and free. So, go get a map for your blog.
