The holiday season is all about bringing communities together, and there's no better way to do that than by creating an interactive, user-friendly map. In a recent webinar, Proxi's co-founder Chelsey Roney and marketing director Katie McClure shared invaluable tips on how to create maps that truly capture the spirit of the season. These maps are perfect for everything from holiday light displays to local events, making it easier than ever to engage your community.

Watch the Full Webinar Here:

‍

Read and Learn Our Holiday Community Map Tips

Whether you're planning a holiday lights tour, mapping out seasonal events, or promoting local businesses, Proxi’s Holiday Mapping Suite is here to help you create maps that are both functional and fun. The best part? We’ve put together all the tools and resources you need to get started - no map-building experience required. Let’s dive in!

The Holiday Hub: Your One-Stop Resource

Proxi's Holiday Hub is the ultimate go-to spot for everything you need to create seamless holiday maps. Designed with organizations of all sizes in mind—whether you're a tourism board, chamber of commerce, or local event organizer—this hub has all the tools to help you make the season special:

Detailed Blog Posts covering various holiday map use cases to inspire your project
Pre-made Templates for holiday maps that let you get started quickly and easily
Festive Icons and Design Resources to make your maps stand out
Inspiring Holiday Map Examples that show you what’s possible with Proxi’s tools

With Proxi's Holiday Hub, creating an interactive, engaging holiday map has never been easier!

Holiday Map Templates to Kickstart Your Project

In the webinar, Chelsey and Katie highlighted four key holiday map templates that can elevate your community’s holiday experience:

Holiday Light Displays

This template is perfect for showcasing community light show contests or guiding residents and visitors on a festive holiday light tour. It’s a great way to highlight local homes, businesses, and displays that are lighting up the season.

Holiday Happenings

A comprehensive guide to all things seasonal, from ice skating rinks and tree lightings to your favorite holiday events and activities. This template helps people easily find and enjoy the best festivities in town.

Shop Local - Small Business Saturday Guides

Support local businesses by creating a map that highlights the best spots to shop, grab gifts, and discover unique holiday offerings. This guide makes it easy for community members to support local vendors and discover hidden gems around town.

Winter Fairs

Perfect for mapping out vendor booths, Christmas markets, and everything else that makes your winter fair special. Whether you're highlighting food vendors, craft stalls, or entertainment, this template helps attendees navigate the festive fun.

These templates give you a solid starting point, allowing you to hit the ground running with a map that’s both functional and festive!

Key Features for Creating Engaging Maps

Proxi offers a range of powerful features to help you create interactive maps that truly engage your community. Here’s how:

Customization Options

Personalize your map with your organization’s logo, colors, and unique style
Add custom categories and icons to guide users easily through the map
Create tag groups for easy filtering (think "Family Fun," "Holiday Food," etc.)
Number points of interest for better organization, ideal for “top 10” lists or holiday light trails
Upload sponsor logos as image overlays to showcase your supporters—use them as “stickers” for extra flair

Crowdsourcing Capabilities

Enable your community to add their own points to make the map a true collaborative resource
Admin approval ensures accuracy before any new points are added
Collect email addresses to keep your community engaged and informed
Customize submission forms to gather the most relevant and accurate data

Best of Voting

Set up fun competitions like "Best Holiday Lights" or "Most Festive Home"
Create specific categories to add structure and excitement to the voting process
Limit voting frequency to ensure fairness and prevent spam
Celebrate the winners by displaying results directly on the map

Lead Generation

Collect email addresses through map interactions for future engagement
Use email gate protection to keep certain content exclusive
Track map insights and viewer metrics to measure engagement and refine future maps

With these features, Proxi helps you create a more interactive, community-driven experience that captures the holiday spirit!

Pro Tips for Holiday Mapping

Chelsey and Katie also shared some expert tips to help you make the most out of your holiday map, ensuring it reaches and engages as many people as possible:

Get Creative with Categories

Think outside the box when setting up categories. Instead of just the typical “Best Holiday Lights” or “Most Festive Home,” consider fun and quirky options like “Best Use of Candy Canes,” “Most Magical Tree,” or “Most Cozy Winter Vibes.” Creative categories not only make your map more engaging but also encourage people to explore new places they might not have considered.

Use QR Codes for Easy Map Sharing

QR codes are a fantastic tool for making your holiday map more accessible. Print them on flyers, event signage, or even ornaments and place them around your community. This simple addition allows people to instantly access your map using their smartphones, making it easier for them to participate in events and share the map with friends and family.

Embed Maps on Websites and Share Links on Social Media

Maximize exposure by embedding your holiday map on your organization’s website or on social media. You can easily share the map’s link in posts, stories, or on event pages. Embedding it directly allows people to engage without leaving the platform. This helps keep your audience engaged and ensures they can access the map anytime, anywhere.

Leverage Insights to Improve Future Maps

One of the best ways to level up your holiday map is to use Proxi’s map insights. Track how people interact with your map - what points they visit most, where they spend the most time, and which categories are the most popular. By analyzing these insights, you can better understand what resonates with your community, which can help you refine future initiatives and tailor maps to your audience's interests.

By incorporating these marketing tips into your holiday map strategy, you can boost engagement, encourage more participation, and create a memorable experience that brings your community together.

Who Can Benefit?

The webinar attracted a diverse group of participants, all eager to learn how to use holiday maps to engage their communities. Here’s a breakdown of who can make the most of these powerful tools:

Tourism Boards‍

Tourism boards can use holiday maps to attract visitors looking for seasonal fun. Whether it's showcasing local holiday light displays, festive events, or winter activities, these maps make it easy for tourists to navigate the best spots in town. They can also provide visitors with up-to-date information on local happenings, ensuring a memorable holiday experience and boosting local tourism during peak seasons.

Chambers of Commerce‍

Chambers of Commerce can leverage holiday maps to support local businesses and promote community events. By creating maps that highlight where to shop for holiday gifts, find festive dining options, or attend special events, they can drive foot traffic to local businesses and create a sense of community pride. It’s a great way to make the holidays more exciting for locals while supporting the small businesses that are the heart of any community.

Small Businesses‍

Small businesses can attract customers by creating interactive, festive maps that showcase their holiday offerings. Whether it's mapping out special promotions, holiday sales, or seasonal products, a well-designed holiday map can help small businesses stand out in a crowded market. It can also serve as a fun, creative way to draw in customers and offer them a personalized shopping experience.

Community Event Organizers‍

Community event organizers can create the ultimate holiday experience by using maps to promote their events. From holiday parades and light shows to Christmas markets and charity events, maps help people find exactly what they’re looking for. Event organizers can also enhance the map with live updates, making it easier for attendees to access the latest event information, schedules, and any last-minute changes.

No matter your background or industry, holiday maps offer endless opportunities to engage your audience, bring people together, and celebrate the season in style!