Understanding the Location Pin
The location pin is the most critical part of your guide. It marks where GPS navigation ends and your visual guide begins. Getting this right ensures visitors arrive exactly where your guide starts.
Key concept
The pin marks the handoff point from GPS navigation to your visual guide. It should be the most obvious place where someone would naturally arrive when following GPS directions.
What is the Location Pin?
The location pin serves as the bridge between digital navigation (GPS) and your visual guide. When someone uses your Navvi guide:
- They click your guide link and see the destination
- They tap "Open in Maps" to navigate via GPS
- GPS takes them to your pin location
- They tap "I've arrived" and start following your visual steps
This means your pin location determines where your visual guide begins, and your first photo or video frame should match what people see when they arrive at the pin.
Choosing the Perfect Pin Location
✅ Good Pin Locations
- Main building entrances: The front door or primary entrance that GPS would naturally route to
- Parking lot entrances: Where cars would arrive when following GPS directions
- Event main gates: The primary entrance attendees are expected to use
- Public transportation stops: Bus stops, train stations, or subway exits near your destination
- Street addresses: The exact address point that matches what people would put in their GPS
❌ Avoid These Pin Locations
- Back entrances or side doors: Unless this is clearly the main entrance
- Inside buildings: GPS can't guide people to interior locations
- Unclear landmarks: Obscure features that aren't obvious arrival points
- Private or restricted areas: Places people can't actually access
- Multiple possible locations: Ambiguous spots where people might arrive at different places
Common mistake
Don't place the pin at your final destination. Place it where people will naturally arrive via GPS, even if they need to walk further to reach the actual destination.
Pin Location Examples
✅ Good Example: Airbnb Check-in
Destination: Apartment 3B in a large building complex
Pin location: Main entrance to the building (where GPS routes to)
Why it works: Guests arrive at the obvious entrance, then follow visual steps to find apartment 3B inside.
❌ Poor Example: Conference Booth
Destination: Booth 47 at a tech conference
Pin location: Directly at Booth 47 inside the venue
Why it fails: GPS can't guide people inside buildings. They'll arrive at the venue entrance confused.
✅ Better Example: Conference Booth
Pin location: Main conference venue entrance
Visual guide: Shows the path from entrance → registration → expo hall → specific booth location
Testing Your Pin Location
Before finalizing your pin, consider these questions:
- 🤔 If I put this address in Google Maps, where would it take me?
- 🚶♀️ Is this where a first-time visitor would naturally arrive?
- 📱 Can I take a photo from this pin location that starts my visual guide logically?
- 🅿️ Is this accessible by car, public transit, or walking as appropriate?
- 🌍 Is this location unambiguous and clearly identifiable?
Adjusting Your Pin
You can always adjust your pin location during guide creation:
- Click and drag the pin on the interactive map
- Zoom in for precision to place it exactly where needed
- Switch map views (satellite vs. street view) for better visibility
- Test with the address by checking what happens when you search for that location in Google Maps
Next steps
Once you've chosen the perfect pin location, you're ready to create the visual steps that guide people from that point to their final destination.
Learn Photo Best Practices →