How to Add Store Directions to Your Shopify Website

Quick Answer

You can add store directions to a Shopify website by including a directions link on each location's pin card, which opens turn by turn navigation in Google Maps. SC Store Locator Map supports directions links as part of its Google Maps integration, so customers can move from browsing a location to navigating toward it in a single click. This small addition can meaningfully reduce the effort between finding a store and actually arriving there.

Showing a customer where a store is located is only part of the job. Many shoppers want to move straight from confirming a location exists to getting turn by turn directions there, especially on mobile.

This guide focuses specifically on the directions feature within a store locator: how it works, how to set it up, and what to check once it is live. It is a small feature to configure but one that has a direct effect on whether a customer follows through on visiting in person.

What Is a Store Directions Feature?

A store directions feature is a link or button, usually included on a location's pin card, that opens turn by turn navigation to that address in Google Maps or the customer's default maps app. Rather than requiring the customer to copy an address and paste it into a separate app, the directions link handles that step automatically. It is a small piece of functionality, but one that removes a genuine point of friction between browsing and visiting.

Who Needs a Directions Feature?

A directions link is useful for most Shopify merchants with physical locations, particularly:

• Retailers whose customers frequently visit stores directly from their phone while already out
• Businesses in areas where addresses alone can be difficult to navigate to without assistance
• Multi-location brands where customers may not be familiar with the exact area of a store
• Brands wanting to reduce the friction between finding a location and actually visiting it
• Businesses located in areas with complex parking, entrances, or access points

Why Adding Directions Matters for Your Business

Including a directions link on a store locator has a few practical benefits:

• It removes the extra step of copying an address into a separate maps app
• It works especially well on mobile, where customers are often already near the location
• It reduces the chance a customer gets lost or gives up trying to find the store
• It gives customers a familiar navigation experience through Google Maps
• It is a small addition that can meaningfully smooth the path from browsing to visiting in person
• It can reduce confusion for locations that are not easily visible from the main road

How to Add Directions to Your Shopify Store Locator

Step 1: Install and Configure SC Store Locator Map

Install the app, which includes Google Maps integration as part of its setup, providing the foundation needed for directions links to work correctly. No separate configuration is required beyond the standard app setup.

Step 2: Add and Organize Your Locations

Enter accurate addresses for every location, since the directions link relies on this data to route customers correctly. An incomplete or incorrect address can send customers to the wrong place, so this step deserves particular care.

Step 3: Customize the Store Locator

Use the pin card builder to add a directions link or button to each location's card, positioned clearly alongside the address and working hours.

Step 4: Add the Store Locator to Your Store

Publish the page and confirm the directions link appears on every location's pin card, not only a sample of them. A missing link on even a few locations can be easy to overlook without a full review.

Step 5: Test the Customer Experience

Click the directions link for a handful of locations and confirm it opens accurate turn by turn navigation in Google Maps, testing on both desktop and mobile. Pay particular attention to any locations with unusual or recently changed addresses.

Examples and Use Cases

Industry: Auto parts retailer
Problem: Customers often struggled to find stores located in industrial or less obvious areas using just a written address.
Setup: The brand added a directions link to every pin card in its store locator.
Result: Customers could navigate directly to a store without needing to search for the address separately.

Industry: Furniture showroom chain
Problem: Showrooms were often located slightly off the main road, making them hard to find without guidance.
Setup: Directions links were added to each location, pointing customers directly to the showroom entrance.
Result: Fewer customers reported difficulty finding the showroom once they arrived in the area.

Read more app case studies from Shop Circle covering store locator features like directions and search.

Best Practices

A few habits keep a directions feature reliable as new locations are added over time, regardless of how many stores are already live or how quickly the network is growing:

• Double check addresses for accuracy before publishing new locations
• Test directions links after any bulk location import
• Place the directions link prominently on the pin card rather than hiding it in extra menus
• Confirm directions work correctly on mobile devices, since many customers will use it on the go
• Update addresses promptly if a store relocates, since a stale address can send customers to the wrong place
• Ask staff at each location if there is a preferred entrance customers should be directed to

Summary

A directions link is a small feature with an outsized effect on the customer experience, turning a static address into a clear path to a physical store. Pairing accurate location data with a visible directions link on every pin card keeps the feature reliable, and checking it after any address change helps avoid sending customers to the wrong place entirely.

SC Store Locator Map includes directions support as part of its Google Maps integration, ready to use once your locations are added, with no separate setup required beyond entering accurate addresses for each store. This makes it one of the simplest features to enable across an entire location list.