From CampusBird Blog
Location Markers, Map Embed Enhancements, Dynamic Categories, VisitTrack, Kurogo Integration, Live Feeds, and more new features Boost Ability to Reach and Engage Students, Staff, Parents and Alumni
Hello from Jill and Gregg at CampusBird’s technology team!
We’d like to kick off this update by thanking our amazing CampusBird clients for providing valuable feedback. Most of these updates come from your ideas and requests along with some of our own in-house innovation to keep pushing the boundaries of what a fully interactive campus map and content management system can do.
So, thank you!
Quarter one kept us busy and we’re excited to share the CampusBird platform enhancements we’ve been working on, and which we’re confident will make CampusBird an even more valuable resource for you and - of course - all of your constituencies on- and off-campus.
Interactive Campus Map Location Markers -
Balloon Markers and iframes
The location markers have received several enhancements. One of our favorite new features is the ability to minimize a balloon marker (only for map admins that have selected balloon location markers over a sidebar location marker).
Sometimes, when getting directions or viewing other categories or locations on the map, that balloon marker gets in the way. Now you can simply minimize and view the whole map, then select “return to marker” to get back to all that valuable location information. This is live on all maps now.
We have also added the ability to use an iframe within specific CampusBird location descriptions! This will allow map admins to input content like panoramas, live webcam feeds, and more (anything that can be placed within an iframe!) in a location description. Here is a great example of Wake Forest putting a panorama inside a description.
Interactive Campus Map Embed Enhancements
Speaking of highlighting the map, we have added some new features that allow you to embed a version of your map into your website that does not display the sidebar or top bar. Basically this provides a “static” map with dynamic location markers. All it takes to do this is adjusting your “Get This View” URL a bit! Your account manager can give you a hand if you’re interested!
Dynamic Categories: Temporary, Customizable Events
The new “Dynamic Categories” function allows all of your CampusBird administrators to create a temporary category with existing locations from multiple categories, and is the perfect tool for creating one-time or temporary events on the fly such as a full day schedule.
The temporary category is only viewable through the specific link generated. As long as you have that link, you can access that category.The platform now includes a default icon to use for these categories.
CampusBird’s dynamic categories function has already been in use for months by one of the largest public universities in the United States.
Interested in using dynamic categories? Contact your CampusBird account manager so they can provide you with instructions and documentation on how to turn this new function on, as well as for some tips on how to make the most of the new dynamic categories functionality.
VisitTrack: Real-time Lead Alerts to Those Who Need Them
VisitTrack is CampusBird’s powerful lead-generation tool that allows you to configure a window to appear when map visitors are participating in a virtual tour. For schools already using VisitTrack, you can now easily configure VisitTrack with a customizable email address so new leads get to the right person at the right time.
We have also improved VisitTrack’s mobile design, implemented the ability for you to download specific leads to a spreadsheet, and added the Tour Name and ID to your data information. Look for more updates to come to VisitTrack in Q2 2016!
Kurogo Mobile Platform Integration
Are you using Modo Labs’ Kurogo Mobile Campus Solution? Then we’ve got some exciting news. We recently announced our integration with Modo Labs, which means that you can embed CampusBird into Kurogo giving it the same look and feel as your mobile app. Contact us if you’d like to learn more.
Parking, ESRI and more: CampusBird Supports Your Feed Integrations
This last quarter we successfully completed several powerful feed integrations, including live parking lot data feeds (more on that coming soon), event feeds, ESRI data feeds and more. If you have a feed of information, we can integrate it onto our map!
Increased Platform Security
We take your data and privacy very seriously, so we are happy to announce this new security feature. When logging into the CampusBird CMS, if an incorrect password is entered three times in a row, the account will be locked. To unlock the CMS, try the password recovery or contact your account manager.
What’s ahead for our CampusBird clients?
Look out for the upcoming PrintMaps 2.0 announcement, and - of course - we continue to welcome new schools to the CampusBird family every week.
Once again, thanks for all the valuable feedback and requests you all provide! Our clients continue to help us make CampusBird's interactive campus map and media platform a better product and we are very grateful!
Best,
Jill and Gregg