Quick Start Guide

Ready to create your first map? This guide will walk you through creating a beautiful, interactive map in just 5 minutes. Let's get started!

Choose Your Path

You can create maps in two ways:

AI-Powered (Fastest) - Describe what you want and let AI do the work
Manual Creation - Build your map location by location

We'll cover both approaches below.

Path 1: AI-Powered Map Creation (2 minutes)

This is the fastest way to get started. Perfect if you want to map a collection of similar places.

Step 1: Go to the Homepage

From the homepage, you'll see the AI Map Creator section. You don't need to log in - anonymous users can create maps too!

Step 2: Describe Your Map

Simply type what you want to map in the AI generator input. Be specific about the type of places and location.

Example prompts:

"Map the best ramen restaurants in Tokyo, Japan"
"Show me specialty coffee shops in Melbourne, Australia"
"Create a map of popular hiking trails in Banff, Canada"

💡 Tip: The more specific you are, the better results you'll get. Include the city/region and type of locations.

Step 3: Review & Customize

The AI will generate a map with up to 10 locations, complete with descriptions and coordinates. You can:

Edit any location details
Add or remove locations
Add custom categories and colors
Upload images to locations
Adjust the map boundaries and zoom level

Step 4: Save Your Map

When you're happy with it:

Anonymous users: Your map is saved and your browser remembers it. Keep this URL safe!
Logged-in users: Your map is saved to your account automatically

That's it! You've created your first map.

💡 Anonymous User Tip: When you create a map without logging in, your browser remembers it so you can edit it later. When you sign up from the same browser, we'll automatically claim all your anonymous maps and add them to your account!

Path 2: Manual Map Creation (10 minutes)

Prefer more control? Build your map step by step.

Step 1: Create a New Map

Click Create Map from the homepage or dashboard (if logged in).

Fill in the basic details:

Title: Give your map a descriptive name (required)
Description: Explain what your map is about (optional)
Country: Select your country (required)
City: Enter the city name (required)
Public: Toggle whether your map is publicly visible
Map Style: Choose from street, light, dark, or satellite views

The map will automatically set boundaries and center point based on your selected city.

Step 2: Add Your First Location

Once your map is created, you can add locations in several ways:

Option 1: Click on the Map

Click anywhere on the map to add a location at that point
Fill in the location details in the popup

Option 2: Use Google Places Search

Use the search bar to find specific places
Select a place from the results
Details are automatically filled in

Option 3: Manual Entry

Click "Add Location" button
Enter coordinates manually or search for a place

For each location, you can add:

Name: The location's name (required)
Description: Tell people what makes it special
Category: Organize locations by type
Image: Upload a photo via Cloudinary
Hidden: Hide the location temporarily without deleting it

Step 3: Create Categories

Categories help organize your locations and make your map easier to navigate.

From the map editor:

Click the Categories tab or button
Click "Add Category"
Enter a name (e.g., "Restaurants", "Hotels", "Attractions")
Choose a color using the color picker
Save

Now you can assign locations to categories. Each category gets its own colored marker on the map!

Step 4: Customize Your Map

Map Settings:

Adjust the map style (street, light, dark, satellite)
Set the default zoom level
Adjust map boundaries
Change the center point

Location Settings:

Reorder locations by dragging them
Toggle location visibility (hide/show)
Upload images for better visual appeal
Edit descriptions and details

Once you've added your locations:

Toggle Public/Private: Control who can see your map
Custom Slug: Create a friendly URL like /m/tokyo-food-guide
Share: Use the share button to:
- Copy the direct link
- Share on social media (Facebook, Twitter, WhatsApp, Email)
- Generate an embed code for your website
Private Sharing: Generate temporary access tokens for private maps (24-hour expiration)

Import from Existing Data

Already have your locations in a spreadsheet or Google Maps? You can import them!

CSV Import

Prepare a CSV file with these required columns:
- name (location name)
- lat or latitude (latitude coordinate)
- lng or longitude (longitude coordinate)
Optional columns:
- description (location description)
- category (category name - will be auto-created if it doesn't exist)
- hidden (true/false to hide location)
From your map, click Import → CSV
Upload your file and review the preview
Confirm to import all locations