Online marketer adds Google Earth tool

Online marketing specialist Bigblueroad has unveiled a Google Earth tool enabling travel companies to plot hotels and attractions on their websites by global positioning system (GPS).

Bigblueroad, part of Discover the World Marketing, teamed up with Quirk eMarketing on development of the tool, which uses a Google Earth layer to show icons on a map. Consumers can access text, photographs and video by clicking on the icons.

Discover the World Marketing senior director of marketing and product development Ian Murray said the tool would help sites retain visitors for longer and improve conversion rates.

Murray said: “Destinations using this technology have a greater chance of capturing a visitor as well as increasing the length of stay. [It gives] consumers a better way to plan a journey through the ability to see geography, distances and the beauty of a location.”