Are you managing a WordPress website for your business? Do you want to display your various store locations? Do you want to build maps that are not only customizable but interactive as well? 

If yes, what you need is a WordPress store locator tool like LocateStore. After all, it is imperative to connect online browsing and in-store shopping if you want to enjoy success in your retail business.

Regardless of whether you own a business, run an agency or are a freelancer, this is a must-have WordPress plugin in your stash to save time and simplify your WordPress development.. And the best part is, you don’t need any coding skills.

LocateStore is built on Google Sheets and powered by Mapbox, which makes it super easy to set up your store locator on your website. In this article, we will discuss how you can add a store locator to your website, with easy steps and best practices

What is a WordPress Store Locator?

WordPress Store Locator is a versatile plugin (or sometimes a widget) designed for websites with physical locations, such as retail chains, franchises, or service-based businesses. It allows visitors to your site to easily search for and discover the nearest outlet, branch, or partner store based on their current location or a specified address. By creating interactive maps, this tool bridges the gap between your online presence and offline operations, driving foot traffic and enhancing customer convenience

According to Forbes, over USD 6.3 trillion worth of goods and services were purchased online globally in 2024.

However, a large number of customers still preferred to physically pick up the products from stores. So, when you provide a store locator, you help to bridge the gap between online and offline shopping.

A store locator is integrated into a website and lets customers find the physical locations of a store based on an address the customer enters, or on the customer’s current location by leveraging mapping technology.

Key Features

Search Functionality: A simple input box where users can enter an address, postcode, city, or even use geolocation (via browser permissions) to auto-detect their position. Results are sorted by proximity, often displaying distances in miles or kilometers.

Interactive Map: An embedded, zoomable map that pinpoints locations with customizable markers (e.g., different icons for store types or categories). Users can click pins to view details or get real-time directions.

Store Details: Comprehensive info for each location, including operating hours, phone numbers, emails, and links to your site. Advanced features include filtering by categories or tags (e.g., "open now" or "pet-friendly") 

Industries that benefit most from store locators include:

• Restaurant chains
• Banks & ATMs
• Hotel chains
• Convenience stores/department stores
• Retail brands with multiple outlets
• Salons & franchise outlets
• Pharmacies/drug stores
• Healthcare clinics & diagnostic centers
• Gyms/fitness centers/yoga studios
• Courier & logistics drop-off points
• Grocery stores/supermarkets
• Car service centers/fuel stations / EV charging points
• Electronics/furniture/home improvement stores

Why Do Businesses Need A Store Locator On WordPress?

We live in a digital-first world; customers search online before they step into a store. You make it hard for people to find your outlets or branches; you risk losing sales.

So you see, a WordPress store locator plugin not only provides convenience to potential customers, it boosts both footfall and revenue. 

Store locators improve the overall user experience and customer satisfaction.

Reducing prospective customers’ friction when transitioning from online browsing to in-store shopping can help you drive business results.

Let’s go over some of the main benefits of adding a store locator to your website:

Enhance user experience. Offering users an easy way to locate stores using geographical maps improves the overall user experience of your corporate website.Search engine robots like store locators. It’s a great way to improve local SEO and make it more likely for your site to appear higher in search engine results. Enhancing visibility in local search results can help boost organic traffic to your business site.

Boost brand visibility. Creating SEO-optimized listing pages with store locators can help you increase brand visibility and drive traffic to your site and, ultimately, to your retail store.

A study by Clutch revealed that 83% of small businesses are of the opinion that WordPress plugins like LocateStore save them significant time and effort, making it an essential tool for growth-focused companies.

How Do I Add A Store Locator On WordPress?

You will be surprised to know how simple it is! It is straightforward and requires no technical skills at all.

Step 1: Choose the right plugin

Pick a solution that’s user-friendly and feature-rich. LocateStore WordPress plugin is perfect because it manages store data via Google Sheets and uses Mapbox to create beautiful interactive maps all without needing map API keys.

Step 2: Install the plugin

From your WordPress Dashboard, go to Plugins → Add New. Search for “LocateStore” in the plugin directory, or upload the plugin ZIP file. Click Install Now, then Activate.

Step 3: Add store data

Signing up on LocateStore creates a Google Sheet for you. Add your store details.

Step 4: Customize the locator

Easily adjust zoom levels and colors to match your brand. You can also add your logo for the location pins to get a professional look.

Step 5: Embed on your site

Insert the store locator using a shortcode or widget. Test it on desktop and mobile to ensure it looks and works exactly as expected.

Is a WordPress Store Locator Free?

Many WordPress store locator plugins offer free versions, but these often come with limitations such as

• restricted customization options
• lack of real-time updates
• caps on the number of store locations you can list

For businesses looking to test a robust solution without upfront costs, LocateStore stands out with its generous free plan. This plan includes unlimited store listings and a reasonable number of views and searches, making it an excellent choice for businesses wanting to explore store locator functionality without committing to a paid option. Plus it comes with responsive, mobile-friendly layouts to ensure seamless performance across devices.

For those needing enhanced features, LocateStore’s premium plans unlock additional benefits, including:

• Increased view and search limits to accommodate higher traffic.
• Advanced customization options for tailored map designs and user experiences.

With LocateStore’s free plan, you can effectively test the waters and scale up to a premium plan as your business grows, ensuring flexibility and performance tailored to your needs.

According to Unbounce, 45% of online visitors abandon websites that load slowly. This makes it imperative that you invest in a tool like LocateStore that delivers speed and performance, powered by Mapbox.

Which is the Best Store Locator Plugin For WordPress?

Undoubtedly, there are several options available, but LocateStore is ideal for you, because of its simplicity and scalability. 

• No WordPress admin is required, as the integration with Google Sheets enables collaborative management of store information
• Mapbox maps facilitate quicker loading and a contemporary look compared to Google Maps
• Responsive design: as over 63% of web traffic originates from mobile (Statista), a mobile-friendly design is crucial
• Highly scalable design that grows as your business grows.
• Updates can be made by any team member from anywhere, are reflected in the site instantly
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Why Is LocateStore unique?

Most store locators rely completely on Google Maps but LocateStore uses Mapbox which offers quicker loading, affordable scaling for many stores, and map styles that can be customized.

The fact that it’s built on Google Sheets makes it very simple to install and maintain. Since Sheets is cloud-based, multiple team members can collaborate, edit, and add store data simultaneously, ensuring updates are fast and accurate without technical bottlenecks.

A study by Forrester found that $2.5 trillion in revenue is lost every year because of manual errors and poor data management. But data entry is accurate and centralized in LocateStore thanks to Google Sheets being the backend.

How Can I Add A Store To An Existing Website?

If you have opened a new outlet at a different location, you obviously want your website to list it. Here is what you do:

• Open the Google Sheet linked to the plugin
• Add the details of the new store like working hours, phone number and address
• Save the changes, and you are done

LocateStore generates the co-ordinates automatically and automatically updates the storelocator on your WordPress website.

Compare this to manually updating the data on WordPress: you will see this saves a lot of time.

Benefits Of Using A Store Locator Widget On WordPress

The map of your store locator widget can be displayed in the footer, sidebar, or landing page of your website. This provides:

• Visitors with easy access even if they browse several pages
• Heightened visibility of your physical store locations
• Higher chances of conversion.

Retail Dive revealed that a major clothing retailer in the US had a 35% increase in store visits after adding a store locator to their e-commerce site.

Also read: The WordPress StoreLocator Plugin to boost your In-Store Visits

Final Thoughts

Adding a store locator WordPress plugin like LocateStore is one of the best ways to ensure seamless connectivity between online browsing and offline shopping. Give your customers the benefit of speed, ease, and convenience, and your business the benefits of scalability, responsive design, and increased revenues.

Install LocateStore today and boost local search exponentially. Ask for a free demo now.👇

Frequently Asked Questions

Can multiple team members manage the Store Locator?

Yes. Since it uses Google Sheets, multiple team members can collaborate and update store information in real time from anywhere.

What types of businesses benefit the most from a Store Locator?

Businesses with multiple outlets, like restaurants, retail chains, salons, banks, hotels, and franchises, benefit the most, as customers often search for the nearest location.

What is the best free store locator plugin for WordPress?

If you're looking for the best free store locator plugin for WordPress, LocateStore is a standout choice for many reasons:

• It offers a Free-Forever plan that requires no credit card, giving you instant access to essential features. 
• It's 100% powered by Google Sheets and uses Mapbox maps, so you get no-code setup, easy updates, and no need for API keys. 
• The plugin is highly responsive, supports unlimited locations, and allows both design customization and real-time data updates via the spreadsheet.