Complete Guide to Setting Up and Managing Maps in STQRY

Maps are a vital component of self-guided tours, helping users navigate within the app and providing a sense of direction to complete the tour. Setting up a map in STQRY is straightforward, and maps can be created for both Tours and Lists. Below is a step-by-step guide to setting up a map for your tour.

Learn more from the topics listed:

• How to Access Map Setup
• Choosing Map Views
• Adding Markers
• Setting Up Geofencing
• Setting Up Beacons
• Adding Routes and Elevation Maps to Your Tour
• Map Settings

How to Access Map Setup

• Open the STQRY Builder. 
• Search for the tour or list you want to edit under the Collections & Tours section or create a new one.
• Ensure that you have added Screens to a Tour and included content—such as Tours, Lists, or Screens—to a List. These will serve as the pin markers on your map and can be activated through geofencing.
• Navigate to the Map section within either the tour or list. This is where you will add and configure your map and markers.

Choosing Map Views

STQRY offers different map views to suit your needs:

• Terrain Map: Shows natural features like hills and forests.
• Satellite View: Provides a detailed overhead view of the landscape.
• Custom Maps: Upload static images or georeferenced maps. You can trigger content based on the custom map. For more on setting up custom maps, click here.

Switching from Terrain or Satellite View to Custom Maps will cause the available markers to disappear from the map. If this happens accidentally, you can easily restore them by following these steps:

• Go to the Stops section in a Tour or the Content section in a List.
• Remove all items, then re-add them.
• Refresh the map view, and the markers will reappear on the map. The coordinates are saved in the detail section of each screen, and refreshing will help reapply the marker locations.

Adding Markers

You can place markers on your map in a few ways:

• Drag and Drop: Drag the marker to the desired location on the map.
• Coordinates: Enter specific GPS coordinates.
• Search by Address: Use the search bar to locate a specific address, then drag the marker to the precise location on the map.

In addition to screens, tours, or lists you’ve attached to a collection’s stops list, you can also create pins to indicate nearby locations of interest. For more details on adding markers to your collection’s map, refer to our guide here.

Once placed, markers can be customized by:

• Custom Icons: Upload custom icons to represent different types of stops.
• Custom Colors: Assign unique colors to markers for better differentiation.
• Numbers: If you want to number your markers, add a value in the Keypad Number Section located in the Stops or Content area of your Collection. Numbers displayed in mapping areas are to help assist you in visually organize the tour path in case the stop’s location is out of order, or a pin has been accidentally moved to an incorrect point on the map

Setting Up Geofencing

Geofencing allows the app to trigger content based on the user’s location. Here’s how to set it up:

Set the desired radius for the geofence around the marker's location. The recommended radius for geofencing is at least 50 meters, but you can adjust this based on your needs and test for the best results.

Optionally, you can set up directional geofence, altitude geofence, or a separate geofence area and customize the map marker. 

• The Directional geofence is perfect for driving tours, as you can trigger one piece of content going toward the location and a different piece of content going back the other way. For example, you can play different audio tracks when traveling on the same road in different directions – “welcome” and “see you soon” audio messages are popular choices.
• Using the Altitude geofence If you have a very unique site, such as a plane or helicopter tour. This means you can trigger certain content to pop up on a user’s phone based on where they are in altitude on site. 
• Using the Separate geofence area to move the geofencing to a new location while still triggering the content when people approach the new geofencing area. This feature is particularly useful for scenarios where the stop is a castle on a hill and you want to trigger the content when people drive on the road leading to the castle.

For more detailed instructions on geofencing, read our guide here.

You can also trigger content by creating a trigger that is not linked to a screen. With this option, only one audio file can be assigned per trigger, and you won’t be able to include additional content such as text, slideshows, or images.

You can read more about this feature here

Setting Up Beacons

Bluetooth beacon geofencing is more suitable for smaller spaces with location-specific content. The range of Bluetooth beacons typically spans from about 5 to 80 meters in diameter, making it ideal for standalone museums, indoor exhibits, nature trails, or small-scale tour areas. Bluetooth beacons work by connecting to visitors' devices when they are within proximity.

For more information on setting up beacons, read our guide here.

Adding Routes and Elevation Maps to Your Tour

You can enhance your map by drawing polylines on the map. Enhancements include:

Customize Route Colors: Use different colors for each route to make navigation clearer.

Multiple Routes: Add multiple routes with distinct colors to provide detailed guidance throughout the tour.

In addition, you can upload tour routes using KML or GeoJSON files. STQRY also supports elevation maps, giving users a detailed understanding of terrain changes along their route. This feature is ideal for hiking, cycling, or driving tours. 

Learn more about setting up routes and elevation maps here.

Upload KML, GeoJSON and GPX will not carry the markers to the map view.

For a visual guide on how to set up a map, please watch the following instructional video:

Map Settings

The Map Settings section allows you to customize how your map behaves and how users interact with it. Below are the available options:

1. Enable Get Directions Link

Activating this option adds a navigation icon  to the map view. When clicked, it will open your device’s external map app (e.g., Google Maps or Apple Maps) and provide turn-by-turn directions to the location.

2. Enable Elevation Graph

Turn this on if you are using an elevation map. Read the full instructions here. 

3. Keep Map Screen Awake

By default, screen timeout behavior is controlled by your device’s settings. Enabling this option will override those settings and keep the map screen active while the app is in use.

4. Stop Alert Style

Stop alerts appear when content is triggered via GPS or Bluetooth beacons. You can choose how the alert is displayed—either as a dialog (a pop-up window) or a toast (a brief message at the top of the screen).

Choose to display geofencing alerts as a dialog or toast style

5. Stop Alert Auto Close

By default, users must manually close stop alerts. You can set a custom duration for how long the alert stays visible. Setting it to 0 seconds disables auto-close and returns to manual dismissal.

6. Trigger Alert Style

This alert appears when you’ve created a trigger that isn’t linked to a screen. You can choose to display the alert as a toast or a dialog.

Choose to display trigger alerts as a dialog or toast style

7. Trigger Alert Auto Close

By default, trigger alerts will close automatically after 5 seconds. You can adjust this duration based on your preference.

For any additional help, visit our support center or reach out to our support team at support@stqry.com. Happy mapping!