Telmap, an Intel company, has upgraded its personal navigation app, Telmap Navigator – especially designed for South Africa – free of charge to the end-user, and with strong appeal to local advertisers.

The latest version of Telmap Navigator turns an Android, Apple or BlackBerry smartphone into a personal guide, with voice guided realtime GPS-based navigation and features including tips for travel, dining options and money-saving vouchers.

Through its native advertising capabilities, this revamped app delivers assured and measurable return on investment for advertisers.

The click through rates Telmap Navigator has enabled advertisers through the previous version of the app ranged between 6% and 8%. These are projected to increase significantly given the enhanced exposure in the new version.

Advertisers can choose to position or promote their brand in several compelling ways:
* The brand can be depicted via a hi-resolution spinning 3D icon while the user is en route. The user can then click on this icon, retrieve additional information and of course navigate directly to the advertiser’s place of business.
* The brand can be positioned on the app home screen in the form of a clickable widget.
* The brand can be promoted in users’ sponsored search results.
* Banners triggered by relevant keywords and even through branded location detail screens.
* Another innovative feature allows car manufacturers to feature a car model of theirs on the home screen and even allow the user to navigate with that car in full 3D with navigation voices associated with that brand.

In South Africa alone, Telmap boasts over 800 000 users, with over 65 000 new users joining every month.
Gilad Goldshtein, Telmap director and South Africa’s country manager says, “Telmap Navigator is a compelling app for advertisers since it’s used by people who are out and about. Its realtime location-based nature means advertisers can engage people when they are in the vicinity of the place of business, exposing relevant and compelling offerings when it’s most relevant to the user.
“This enables Telmap Navigator to convert users into customers by literally navigating them to the retailer’s front door.”

During the last 3 months both KFC and BP have advertised on the Telmap Navigator with outstanding results:
* The KFC campaign designed to “drive” users to KFC outlets, the May campaign achieved over 30 000 clicks converting into over 9 000 navigations to KFC outlets across the country.
* Last month the BP campaign resulted in over 6 500 drivers navigating to BP forecourts across South Africa, enabling BP to increase its share of Telmap Navigator users, navigating to Service Stations, to 70%.

In the months ahead Telmap is going to be releasing more innovative advertising opportunities to enable Advertisers to increase their points of contact with the with our rapidly expanding users base.
“Leading local and global brands have advertised with Telmap Navigator including SPUR, Debonairs, KFC, BP, Visa, Nandos and McDonald’s,” Goldshtein says.

Telmap Navigator is the essential must have app for people on the go in South Africa. Likewise, with the rapidly growing number of users and the compelling use cases, advertisers are quickly jumping on this opportunity to communicate ads in a new and contextual way. Telmap Navigator is a win-win for all parties and best of all, it’s free.

The new Telmap Navigator includes:
* 3D landmarks;
* Speed cameras alerts;
* Realtime traffic and road conditions;
* In-app integrated Eat-Out restaurant guide;
* In-app integration of Trip Advisor;
* In-app integration of Facebook and Twitter;
* Desktop shortcuts for home and work locations; and
* Search by voice recognition.