Looking for a simple, fun way to showcase local businesses in your community? A business directory map is a great way to highlight everything your town or district has to offer, all in one easy-to-explore place. Whether you’re a chamber of commerce, a local downtown association, or just someone who loves your city, building a business map with Proxi is easier than you might think!

Let’s walk through how to build one, using a real-world example from the North Bend Downtown Foundation.

Meet the Map: North Bend Downtown Foundation's Business Directory

The North Bend Downtown Foundation created a sleek, interactive business directory map to help visitors and locals explore shops, restaurants, services, and community spots downtown. The map is branded with North Bend’s colors, includes business categories, and details. It’s mobile-friendly and easy to update - no coding or constant reprints required!

Why Make a Business Directory Map?

Interactive business directory maps do more than just look good, they’re powerful tools for connecting people with local businesses and boosting community engagement. Here’s why they’re worth building:

Make Local Discovery Easy: Help residents and visitors quickly find shops, services, and restaurants in your area - all in one place.

Support On-the-Go Exploration: Whether someone’s walking downtown or planning their weekend, mobile-friendly maps make it easy to see what’s nearby.

Drive Economic Growth: Showcasing local businesses in a central, digital hub helps promote shopping locally and supports economic development.

Ditch the Print Hassle: Say goodbye to reprinting brochures every time a business opens or closes. With an interactive map, you can update info in real time.

Clickable, Searchable, Shareable: These maps are designed to be shared far and wide. Each business point can include clickable links, directions, photos, and more - putting local spots in the spotlight.

In short, a business directory map isn’t just a list, it’s a living, digital guide that makes your local economy more visible, accessible, and vibrant.

How to Build a Business Directory Map with Proxi

Let’s build your map together! 

1. Start Your Map

Head to Proxi and create a free account.

Choose “Create a Map” and give it a name like “Downtown Business Directory.”

2. Set Up Categories

You can use Proxi’s onboarding process to generate categories based on your map theme, or you can add your own.

Add categories to keep your map organized. Think:

• Restaurants
• Shopping
• Services
• Arts & Culture
• Community Spaces

These will show up as filters, just like North Bend’s map!

3. Add Business Listings

You can add points manually or import from a spreadsheet.

For each point, include:

• Business name
• Address (Proxi will auto-pin it on the map)
• Description
• Website and contact info - hyperlink these within point descriptions or include as a button link with a Custom CTA 
• Business hours (optional)
• Images or logos

💡 Pro Tip: With digital maps, the options are nearly endless! Check out our Point Optimization Deep Dive for a walk through of all the options! (https://www.proxi.co/blog/the-essential-guide-to-proxi-points) 

4. Customize Your Map’s Look

Make your map feel like yours with a few simple customizations:

Add Your Logo & Brand Colors: Upload your logo and set your header and highlight colors to match your organization’s brand for a cohesive, polished feel.

Pick the Perfect Map Background: Choose from satellite imagery, night mode, muted tones, or more, whatever best fits your goals and aesthetic.

Use Icons & Colors Strategically: Assign icons that reflect your categories or keep things sleek with a consistent color palette, like North Bend’s clean and crisp map.

Add Image Overlays: Promote sponsors or add branded visuals with image overlays that elevate your map’s style and impact.

North Bend’s map is a great example! They use their foundation’s branding throughout to create a professional and cohesive experience.

5. Add Tags and Filters

Make your map easy to explore by adding tags and filters that help users quickly find exactly what they’re looking for.

Tags act like keywords, making your map more searchable and scannable. You can tag each location with relevant labels like:

• “Kid-Friendly”
• “Locally-Owned”
• “Pet-Friendly”
• “Live Music”
• “Outdoor Seating”
• “Free Wi-Fi”

Filters give users the power to sort through the map based on what matters to them, whether it’s finding a date night spot, a dog-friendly café, or businesses open late.

Smart use of tags and filters helps users navigate your map faster and more efficiently, improving their experience and boosting visibility for the places that fit their needs.

🙋 Want to Let Businesses Add Themselves?

Use Proxi’s Crowdsourcing Forms!
With Proxi’s built-in form tool, you can collect submissions directly from business owners.

• Customize the form with fields like business name, address, contact info, and images.
• Set approval settings so nothing goes live until you review it.
• Share the form link via email, social, or your website.

Share Your Map

Once your map is live, it’s time to get the word out! Here are some great ways to promote it:

• Embed it on your website so visitors can explore local businesses without leaving your page.
• Share it on social media to spread the love and drive engagement.
• Add a QR code to flyers, window clings, or posters around town for easy, on-the-go access.
• Keep it fresh by updating it regularly with new businesses, events, and offerings.

Track the Impact

Wondering how your map is performing? Proxi’s built-in analytics give you powerful insights, including:

• How many people have viewed your map
• Which locations are getting the most attention
• How users are discovering and interacting with your map
• And more valuable data to help guide your next moves

Use these insights to better support your local businesses, plan promotions, and understand what your community cares about most.

Ready to Build Your Own?

Business directory maps are more than just helpful, they’re a powerful way to showcase local pride, support small businesses, and make your community easier to explore. Whether you're highlighting local favorites, organizing events, or creating a guide for visitors, Proxi makes it simple.

👉 Get started today and put your town on the map, literally!