Demographic mapping is good for your business because it connects your business to the business of the nation. Business mapping software should let you consider demographic data in multiple ways. Map Business Online includes several years of US Census Bureau demographic data in categories with breakdowns that include:
Population, income, ethnicity, age, race, education, employment, occupation, households, housing units, ownership, rentals, and travel time to work
(Canadian and UK demographic data is included in subscriptions for those coverage areas. Categories for Canada and the UK are not the same as in the USA version.)
These general categories are often broken down by various levels which can be combined to create more meaningful groups. For example, an Map Business Online user could calculate the combined total of seniors by age bracket – calculating all the levels stored between ages 65 and 85 and up. That’s a popular age group; although I can wait.
When building a demographic map an Map Business Online user has the option to view these demographic layers from different perspectives; perhaps as a precursor to a final map view. For instance, build a map to view population and income demographics by county across the whole nation, to get a feel for where concentrations of income or population exist. You could save that map view for reference purposes or just delete it when you’re done with the project.
If you create a map object – a circle, a polygon or a rectangle – you can click the summary button to enable a quick demographic analysis of that area of interest.
Your demographic data summary offers access to demographic data layers and calculated demographic data layers. Simply choose your layers and move them into your analysis. Export your data for use outside of Map Business Online, or consider placing your quick analysis table on the map itself.
When creating sales territories or areas of interest out of zip codes, counties, Census tracts or other administrative districts, your selected area appears color shaded on the map. In the Data Window view you can look up your territory by name. It will be listed in the data drop down right beneath the geographic layer you chose to build it upon. Zip code territories and areas of interest are listed below the overall zip code layer.
Select your territory and view the associated data in the Data Window. In the lower right hand corner click More Data to adjust the included data. You’ll see two panels and Blue Arrows that allow you to move selected data layers in or out of your analysis. Your data analysis might be used for market analysis, business expansion, strategic planning, sales planning, or donor campaigns.
You could add a variety of data layers to your territory analysis view including:
- More demographic data layers
- Calculated columns of demographic layers – a Map & Data function that allows the Map Business Online user to combine multiple and related data layers – like age brackets and income levels
- Your imported business data layers
- Public data from Map Business Online archives – like the full USPS point and boundary zip code list
Once your demographic analysis is to your liking it is time to share your map with your key stake holders. Map Business Online provides multiple options for map sharing:
- Static maps in PNG, Jpeg, or PDF format for email or PowerPoint sharing
- Large format PDF for wall-map plotter printing
- MapShare interactive web maps for non-subscribing, view only interactive map sessions. Each subscription gets 100 sessions per month for free. Viewers cannot edit these shared maps
- Team shared collaborative map editing between full annual subscribers of map Business Online.
Because what good is map analysis if you don’t share it? Business maps are for communicating.
Look for updates to Map Business Online demographic data layers later this summer. Expect the latest Census updates and additional categories based on user requests.
Find out why over 25,000 business users log into www.MapBusinessOnline.com
Contact: Geoffrey Ives geoffives@spatialteq.com (800) 425-9035, (207) 939-6866
MapPoint users – please consider www.MapBusinessOnline.com as your MapPoint Replacement.
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