Spotlight gives you control over your locator results. Define service areas, assign exclusive dealers to regions, feature specific locations, and display custom messages based on where your customers search. Perfect for dealer locators, service networks, distributor maps, and any business where "nearest" isn't always "best," or where you want to show helpful messages, promotions, or next steps in specific situations.
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How Spotlight Works
By default, locators show results by distance. Spotlight lets you go further. A dealer might be the exclusive provider for an entire region. A service technician might cover a whole state, even if they're based far away. An authorized distributor might handle all of Western Europe. Or you might want to show a helpful message when no locations are found.
Spotlight lets you define exactly what customers see based on triggers you configure. Draw a region on the map, set a date range, respond to specific filters being applied, or react when certain locations appear in results. You control which locations appear, what messages display, and where customers are directed.
This is ideal for:
- Dealer and distributor networks with exclusive territories
- Service locators where providers cover large areas regardless of distance
- Franchises with defined catchment areas
- Regional promotions that should only appear in specific areas
- Custom messaging like showing alternatives or contact forms when no locations are found
Each rule combines one or more triggers (the conditions) with one or more actions (what happens). You can mix and match: show specific dealers in one region, run a time-limited promotion during the holidays, display a message when a certain filter is applied, or feature a flagship location when it appears in results.
Creating Your First Rule
- Go to Spotlight in your dashboard
- Click New Rule
- Give your rule a descriptive name (e.g., "NYC Flagship Promotion")
- Add at least one trigger
- Add at least one action
- Click Save Rule
Your rule is now active. Every time a customer searches and the trigger conditions match, they'll see your configured actions.
Triggers
Triggers define when your rule activates. You can use one trigger or combine several for more precise control.
Geographic Area (Polygon)
Draw a custom shape on the map to define a region. The rule activates when a customer searches within that region.
Use this for:
- Defining exclusive dealer or distributor territories
- Creating service areas with custom boundaries
- Setting up regional promotions (e.g., "East Coast Summer Sale")
When creating a polygon trigger, draw your shape directly on the interactive map.
Geographic Area (Radius)
Define a circular area by setting a center point and radius in miles. The rule activates when a customer searches within that circle.
Use this for:
- Defining coverage areas around a central location
- Simple regional setup when an exact boundary isn't needed
- Setting delivery or service radiuses
Tag Filter
Trigger rules based on which filter tags a customer has selected. You can require any of the specified tags or all of them.
For example, if you have "Premium" and "Authorized" tags, you could show a special message when customers filter by either or both. Combine with a geographic trigger to show different messages in different regions.
No Results
Trigger when a customer's search returns zero locations. This is useful for:
- Showing a helpful message with alternatives
- Suggesting nearby regions that do have locations
- Offering online purchasing options
- Capturing leads from areas you don't currently serve
You can combine this with a geographic trigger to show different messages for different regions where you have no coverage.
Result Count
Trigger based on how many locations appear in results. Set a threshold and operator (less than, greater than, or equals).
Examples:
- Show a banner when results are limited (less than 3 locations)
- Display a promo when many options are available (greater than 10 locations)
Date Range
Schedule when a rule is active by setting start and end dates. Perfect for:
- Seasonal promotions
- Limited-time sales
- Event-based messaging
- Holiday campaigns
Leave the start date empty to begin immediately. Leave the end date empty for rules that never expire.
Combine a date range trigger with a geographic trigger to run time-limited promotions in specific regions. For example, a summer sale that only appears for searches in coastal states.
Location Presence
Trigger when specific locations appear (or don't appear) in the search results. You can check if locations are:
- In results: The location appears anywhere in the results
- Within distance: The location is within a specified number of miles from the search
- In top results: The location is in the top N results
Use this to display special messaging when a flagship store appears in results, or to show promotions when preferred partners are nearby.
Actions
Actions define what happens when triggers match. Each rule can have multiple actions.
Message Banner
Display a banner at the top of the results list. Banners support multiple styles:
- Info: Neutral informational messages
- Success: Positive confirmations or good news
- Warning: Important notices that need attention
- Promo: Promotional messaging styled with your accent color
Each banner can include a link with custom text. The message supports basic formatting.
Promo Card
Display a rich promotional card in the results. Promo cards can include:
- An optional image (recommended aspect ratio 2.5:1)
- A title
- A description
- A call-to-action button with custom link
Promo cards are great for driving traffic to promotions, events, or specific pages.
Boost Locations
Move specific locations to the top of the results list. The locations you select will appear first, regardless of their actual distance from the search.
Use this to:
- Feature flagship or premium locations
- Promote stores running special events
- Highlight new openings
Show Only Specific Locations
Filter results to only show the locations you specify. All other locations are hidden.
This is essential for:
- Exclusive dealer or distributor territories
- Franchise catchment areas
- Event-specific displays where only participating locations should appear
This action removes all other locations from results. Make sure this is your intended behavior before enabling.
Include Locations
Add specific locations to results even if they wouldn't normally appear based on distance. You can choose where they appear:
- Top: Always at the top of results
- Bottom: Always at the bottom of results
- Natural: Mixed in by distance order
This is perfect for service providers who cover an entire region, regional hubs, or mobile services that should appear for any search within their service area.
Redirect
Automatically redirect customers to a different URL. You can configure:
- The destination URL
- An optional delay (in seconds)
- An optional message to show before redirecting
Use redirects to send customers to region-specific pages or microsites. You can also combine a redirect with a "no results" trigger to send customers to a contact form or custom page when no locations are found in their area.
Redirects navigate customers away from your store locator. Use them sparingly and ensure the destination is relevant.
Rule Priority
When multiple rules match the same search, they're evaluated in priority order (top to bottom in your rules list). Drag and drop rules to reorder them.
All matching rules will have their actions applied. For location manipulation actions (boost, only, include), the order matters because each action modifies the results before the next rule is evaluated.
Use Cases
Exclusive Dealer Territories
Draw a region for each territory, then use "show only" to assign the authorized dealers for that area. When customers search within that region, only those dealers appear, regardless of which locations are technically closest.
Service Area Assignment
For mobile services, field technicians, or providers who cover an entire region, use "include locations" to ensure they appear for all searches in their service area, even if other locations are technically closer.
Regional Promotions
Display promotional banners or promo cards only in specific regions. Combine with a date range trigger for time-limited campaigns that start and stop automatically.
No Coverage Messaging
When customers search an area you don't serve, show a helpful message with alternatives. You can display a banner with online purchasing options, or redirect them to a contact form to capture the lead.
Flagship and Premium Locations
Use "boost locations" to ensure your flagship store, premium partners, or featured locations always appear at the top of results in specific areas.
Catchment Areas
Define the geographic boundaries for each franchise or branch. Customers searching within a catchment area see only the locations assigned to serve that area.
Next Steps
- Set up filters and tags to use with tag filter triggers