MapQuest gets hyperlocal
On mobile and web, MapQuest.com offers a tool called “mqVibe” that, according to the company, “is a collection of millions and millions of MapQuest searches/directions, aggregated at the neighborhood level.”
As opposed to a generic map search, this tool is specifically for someone looking to get a feel for a new area, somewhere they plan to visit or move, or to learn more about their local area and trends within. The tool highlights cool “hotspots” and the most popular restaurants, shopping areas, venues, etc. and breaks down results based on the “Vibe Score,” popularity, walkability, going out, edginess, burbiness, and residentiality. Even the names of the sections are edgy, which appears to be the goal with promoting the “vibe” of an area.
The design is sleek and easy to use, and city information is offered via Wikipedia for any area. While everything is ranked in a list of top 10, underneath all of the area lists are specific business listings that offer people a view of actual hotspots to check out.
It is easy to see that a tool like this could be used by people looking to relocate to a new city or new part of town, to check out what the area has to offer and get the feel of what locals think of the area and what’s hot. It will be interesting to check your city right now, and then go back in a year to check how things have changed – most cities go through a natural evolution, so it stands to reason that today’s hotspots may not be tomorrow’s hotspots.
