New maps website points the way to a digital future for Yellow"

Yellow™ says visitors to its Yellow Maps™ website www.maps.yellow.co.nz will notice some big changes - a cleaner look, more relevant information and the ability to browse and book accommodation.

The maps, which are powered by Google, allow travellers to quickly scan accommodation options and prices on the map, check availability, and then make a booking directly from the Yellow Maps site.

Yellow CEO Bruce Cotterill says the popular maps website, which receives approximately 130,000 unique browsers each month, has been improved in response to direct feedback from the public.

“People told us they wanted more map space, less clutter on the site and the ability to jump straight into the map from the homepage without the need to perform a search. We’ve listened and acted, and the end result is a much improved experience.”

Mr Cotterill says Yellow Maps is a great example of the company leveraging the data it has about local businesses to provide people with more information tailored to their needs.

“People now have the choice of viewing points of interest such as accommodation, ATMs, parking and petrol stations overlaid on the map. To complement this we have included free articles on things like popular weekend getaways, the best campgrounds and tourist hot spots, which are all relevant to the places they are looking at on the map.”

The website’s online booking engine is provided by Kiwi firm BookIt, who also provide their functionality to another Yellow website, the New Zealand Tourism Guide www.tourism.net.nz

Success in the digital space is high on the agenda for Yellow, says Mr Cotterill, and the company is making significant investments to achieve this.

“We are focusing on two key digital strategies. The first is to grow our digital business through investing in people with specialist skills and in partnering with well-known experts like Google, who supply us with maps, and with BookIt.

“The second is growing the quality and quantity of our content. Local content is our key asset and we need to protect it and grow it as much as possible so we continue to attract users and advertisers.”

Yellow worked with Marker studio, an Auckland based, full-service digital agency, to develop the new-look website.

Ends.


About Yellow
Yellow was formed in 1988 and publishes the print, online and mobile directories for Yellow, as well as the White pages® and the Yellow Local™. Formerly part of Telecom New Zealand, Yellow owns the 018® directory assistance service, a majority stake in 50s-plus website grownups.co.nz, and publishes the Retirement guide™, Yellow frontdoor™ and New Zealand Tourism Guide™, an award-winning online tourism directory. Yellow aims to help New Zealanders complete their missions and get the job done™.

For more information please visit www.yellow.co.nz