SISO LABSWhy directions matter#
Many visitors reach a shop by train or by taxi, and they often arrive in the area with little idea of where the door is. A map pin on its own does not always help when the street is busy and the buildings look alike. Clear directions written on your website can save a visitor from wandering back and forth, and they can make the first minute of a visit feel calm rather than confusing.
Good directions do not need to be long. They need to be accurate and easy to follow in the order a person will actually move. Start from the place a visitor is most likely to begin, which for many people is a station. Then describe each step in plain words, so that someone reading on a phone at a busy exit can check the next move without scrolling far.
Name the exit and the landmark#
When you write directions from a station, name the exit by its number or its letter, as it appears on the signs inside the station. Do not describe it as the north side or the busy side, because visitors read the signs, not the compass. After the exit, name one landmark that a person can see from the pavement, such as a large building, a junction or a well-known feature nearby. One clear landmark is easier to remember than a long list of places.
Check each landmark yourself before you publish it. Stand at the exit, look around, and confirm that the landmark is visible and still there. Buildings change and signs are replaced, so a direction that worked a year ago may now send someone to the wrong street. Re-check the wording whenever you update your site, and keep the names in the same form that the station uses.
Write the walk#
After the exit and the landmark, describe the walk to your door in short steps. Say which way to turn, how many junctions to pass, and which side of the road to keep. Give an honest walk time as well. DISPO station guides are written from OpenStreetMap facts and checked by script. Walk times on sites generally are estimated by taking the straight-line distance, multiplying it by 1.3 to allow for streets that bend, and working out the time at 75 metres a minute. Present the figure as a rough guide, not a promise.
Keep every step tied to something a person can see. A sentence such as turn left after the petrol station is easier to follow than a bearing or a distance alone. If the walk crosses a road, say so, and say whether the crossing is at traffic lights or by a footbridge. Visitors trust directions that mention these details, because they match what they see around them.
Keep directions current#
Directions age, so plan to review them. Station entrances close for works, new buildings open, and bus stops move. Set a regular time to walk the route again, or ask a staff member who uses it each day to tell you about changes. If your site allows it, note the date you last checked the directions on the page, so that you and your visitors both know how fresh the information is.
Finally, remember that directions are one part of a website, not the whole of it. They help a visitor reach the door, but the rest of the site should be just as clear about what the shop is and how to find out more. Thai rules limit how cannabis may be advertised, so check your plans with a lawyer.