Your downtown is the heart of your community — full of local legends, small business gems, and hidden treasures waiting to be discovered. So why not celebrate it in style? With Proxi’s Best Of Voting feature, Main Streets and downtown associations can spotlight their unique spots, rally community engagement, and support local businesses all at once — all on a beautifully branded interactive map.

Let’s dive into how your Main Street can run a standout “Best Of” campaign with Proxi — and why it might just become your new favorite tradition.

What is “Best Of” Voting with Proxi?

Proxi’s Best Of Voting maps are interactive, easy-to-use tools that let your community nominate and vote for their favorite local businesses, places, and experiences — from Best Coffee Shop to Best Place for a First Date.

It’s your very own “people’s choice awards,” customized for your downtown, with:

• Custom voting categories
• Embedded nomination + voting forms
• Live results and analytics
• Shareable, mobile-friendly maps

All without needing a developer or fancy voting software. Check out our feature deep dive here.

Why It’s a Game-Changer for Main Streets

Your downtown is more than just a place — it’s a hub of community, culture, and connection. It thrives on foot traffic, local loyalty, and good old-fashioned word-of-mouth. That’s exactly why a Best Of Voting campaign with Proxi is such a powerful tool for Main Streets and downtown associations.

Here’s what makes it a must-do for your district:

🎯 Drive Community Engagement

People love to share their opinions — especially when it’s about their favorite hometown spots. A Best Of campaign gets your community talking, tagging, and cheering each other on. It transforms casual locals into passionate participants and gets new faces exploring your downtown in a whole new way.

Whether someone is voting for their go-to lunch spot or nominating a newcomer they love, they’re connecting with your district — and each other — through a shared sense of pride.

🛍️ Promote Small Businesses

There’s no better way to support your local businesses than by putting them in the spotlight. A Best Of campaign gives shops, restaurants, salons, and service providers a chance to shine in front of new audiences.

Winners and nominees alike benefit from the buzz — and it encourages businesses to promote the campaign themselves, multiplying your reach and engagement.

📊 Collect Valuable Insights

Every vote and nomination tells you something important. With Proxi, you’re not just running a contest — you’re gathering real-time data about:

• What businesses your community loves most
• Which categories are drawing attention
• Emerging trends in your district

These insights can help shape future marketing, events, and even economic development efforts. Think of it as community-driven intel, delivered in a fun package.

📣 Increase Visibility (and Virality)

Best Of maps are eye-catching, interactive, and easy to share. People love to post about their favorite nominees, winners love to brag, and local media outlets may even want to feature your results.

Every vote, share, or map view means more eyeballs on your downtown — and more opportunities for people to visit, shop, dine, and explore.

🖌️ Custom Branding for Your District

With Proxi, your map and forms are fully customizable. Add your logo, match your downtown’s branding, and include photos that highlight your unique vibe. Whether you want a playful, family-friendly look or a sleek and modern aesthetic, you can make your campaign feel true to your community’s identity.

No two campaigns look the same — and that’s the beauty of it. You’re building a one-of-a-kind experience that reflects the heart and soul of your Main Street.

How It Works (It’s Easier Than You Think!)

Here’s what running a Best Of campaign with Proxi might look like for your Main Street:

1. Set Up Your Map

Create your interactive map in minutes. Add your logo, set the base map style, and outline your downtown boundaries.

2. Pick Your Categories

Think beyond basics — include crowd-pleasers like:

• Best Local Gift Shop
• Best Happy Hour Spot
• Best Instagrammable Mural
• Best Place for a first date 

You can customize as many categories as you like!

3. Add Places to Your Map

You’ve got options! When it comes to adding businesses and locations to your map, Proxi makes it simple with two flexible approaches:

• Collect Community Nominations: Let your audience submit their favorite spots using a Proxi-powered form. You can customize the form with fields, categories, and even conditional logic to keep responses organized and relevant.
• Upload Your Own Places: Already have a list of businesses or locations? Upload them directly to your map in bulk — no form needed. This is great for curated campaigns or when you want more control over who appears on the map.

Whether you crowdsource the content or build it yourself, you’re in the driver’s seat — and you can even mix both methods for the best of both worlds.

4. Launch the Vote

Flip the switch to voting mode and let your community start casting votes! Choose how often people can vote — once, daily, or weekly — and decide whether to show results live or keep them hidden until your big reveal. It’s flexible, easy, and built to boost engagement your way.

5. Announce the Winners!

Celebrate the top picks with a local event, social media shoutouts, or even a walking tour map featuring the winners.

Real-World Ideas for Main Street Campaigns

Looking for inspiration? Try these:

• Downtown Date Night Awards: Highlight the best places for romance downtown.
• Holiday Favorites Map: Include seasonal categories like Best Hot Coco or Best Holiday Window Display.
• Family-Friendly Favorites: Perfect for small towns and suburbs — think Best Playground, Best Kids Menu, etc.
• Hidden Gems: Let locals surface underrated shops, side streets, or public art.

You can even make it a quarterly or seasonal tradition to keep energy high year-round.

Check out this Example to try it out yourself!

Proxi Perks You’ll Love

• Mobile-first experience for voting on the go
• Map and ballot embeds for your website or partner pages
• Analytics dashboard to see top categories, votes, and engagement
• Shareable links to promote via newsletters, social, or QR codes
• Custom branding that matches your Main Street district

See It in Action

Curious how it all works? Watch our quick demo to see just how easy it is to launch a Best Of Voting campaign with Proxi. From setting up your map to collecting votes and revealing winners — we walk you through it all, step by step.

👇 Hit play and get inspired!

Ready to Celebrate the Best of Your Downtown?

Whether you’re a Main Street director, a chamber of commerce, or a local volunteer ready to spark something fun — Proxi makes it easy to bring your community together and shine a spotlight on what makes your downtown special.

🎉 Let’s put your Main Street on the map — literally.