The MapScaping Podcast - GIS, Geospatial, Remote Sensing, earth observation and digital geography cover image

The MapScaping Podcast - GIS, Geospatial, Remote Sensing, earth observation and digital geography

The Business of Web Maps

Sep 8, 2022
Jonathan Wagner, Creator of Scribble Maps, talks about the journey of Scribble Maps from a hobby project to a successful business. They discuss monetizing web maps through ads, the utility and use cases for 3D web maps, building products vs offering services, popular maps and spinoff products, and building a viable competitor to QGIS and ArcGIS. Jonathan also shares advice for startups in the industry.
52:32

Episode guests

Podcast summary created with Snipd AI

Quick takeaways

  • Retaining users and encouraging regular map making is crucial for monetizing web mapping platforms.
  • Simplifying web mapping applications and providing intuitive interfaces is key to engaging non-professional map makers.

Deep dives

Challenges in web mapping: Monetization and user retention

Web mapping and web map builders face challenges in monetization due to the difficulty in getting users to make maps regularly. The ability to retain users and get them to create maps consistently is crucial for generating revenue. Many startups promise to democratize web maps and make it easier for non-geospatial professionals to create and share maps. However, the success of these companies in monetizing their platforms remains a challenge. It is important to find ways to engage non-professional map makers and create value to encourage regular map making.

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