How to create an interactive map with as much or as little input as you like

Start with a location and a simple request

At the simplest level, tell us where the map should start and what you want people to find nearby. That could be a hotel, vacation rental, Airbnb or Vrbo property, a house for sale, a residential development, an office, or another starting address.

You can ask for all restaurants, stores, schools, parks, or another category within your chosen area. We research the places, clarify what belongs in the selection, and build a map for you to review. You do not need to research every address, write every description, or learn map software first.

Broad requests such as “all restaurants” are a starting brief. We agree the categories, area, and useful level of coverage with you, using available location information and checking the selection together.

Choose how much you want to provide

There is no single required format. Start with what you have, and we work with you to fill the gaps.

• A simple idea: provide a starting location, the kinds of places you want, and a walking time or driving distance. We can help research and shape the collection.
• A list of favorites: send names in an email, document, or spreadsheet. Include the places you definitely want featured and any you want excluded.
• Existing content: share your article, neighborhood guide, website, or guest recommendations. We can use your material as the starting point for a connected map.
• A fully prepared collection: provide descriptions, photos you have permission to use, official links, and links back to your own articles. We build around that editorial detail.
• A mixture: supply your must-have places and ask us to suggest others that fit. Keep your writing for some entries and have us help prepare the rest.

You can provide as much or as little information as you like. If your first message is simply “I want a map for this property,” we will help work out the audience, places, and details with you. We agree the research, content, features, and project scope before work begins.

Make distance meaningful from your starting point

A nearby-place map becomes more useful when people can understand the journey from the property or location they care about. You might choose a 20-minute walk, a five-mile drive, or a combination of walking times, driving times, and mileage.

Tell us which starting point to use, such as the hotel entrance, vacation rental, home being sold, or development's main entrance. If you are unsure, we help identify a useful point.

A five-mile drive refers to distance along roads. A 20-minute walk refers to an estimated walking route. Neither is the same as a straight-line circle around the address. We agree the distance information and presentation that suit your map.

For example, nearby places can show walking estimates, with driving estimates used beyond an agreed walking threshold. We can also include mileage and useful route notes where the project calls for them. Travel estimates depend on routes, access, and conditions; they help people plan rather than promise an exact arrival time.

Use the same simple process for many audiences

• Hotels and accommodation teams: help guests find breakfast, restaurants, attractions, transport, and everyday essentials near their stay.
• Vacation rental, Airbnb, and Vrbo hosts: turn local recommendations into a guide guests can use before arrival and during their visit.
• Home sellers, real estate agents, and brokers: show the setting around a listing, including shops, parks, schools, transit, and services.
• Developers, leasing teams, and brokerages: explain the neighborhood around a new development or rental community.
• Publishers, writers, and local curators: connect a restaurant roundup, shopping guide, or destination story to the places it describes.
• Schools, workplaces, event organizers, and community groups: help visitors find useful services, venues, and destinations around a shared starting point.

The categories follow your audience. A hotel guest, prospective buyer, and event attendee may start at the same address and need different recommendations.

Refine the map together before publishing

Your first brief starts the conversation. It does not need to predict every detail of the finished map.

1. Tell us the idea. Share the location, audience, and whatever content you already have.
2. We shape the first version. We clarify the selection and scope, research agreed gaps, and build a branded map with connected places and descriptions.
3. You review a working preview. Explore the map and tell us what feels right, what is missing, and what should change.
4. We revise it with you. Adjust the places, descriptions, categories, colors, links, and layout through an iterative review process. The aim is a map that feels right for your audience and exceeds your expectations.
5. You approve it for publication. We check the desktop and phone experience and help integrate the approved map into your website or a dedicated page.

Feedback can be as straightforward as “add these three places,” “make the walking times easier to find,” or “this needs to feel more like our website.” We agree the revision process with you so you know how we will work toward approval.

What do you need to send first?

A starting address and a sentence about what you want are enough to begin. A place list, spreadsheet, photos, finished descriptions, and a complete design brief are all optional starting materials.

If you have them, send them. If you do not, tell us the idea. MapEdition helps turn that starting point into a useful, branded interactive map for your website.

For a more detailed checklist, see how to plan a branded interactive map. For property examples, explore hotel neighborhood maps or maps for home listings.