How Crowdsourcing Works in Proxi

Step 1: Customize your add-point form.

Decide exactly what you want to collect from contributors: titles, photos, links, categories, dropdowns, checkboxes, and more. The form you build becomes the map's submission interface.

Step 2: Toggle crowdsourcing on.

Flip one setting and your map gets an "Add Point" button. Share the link or embed the map anywhere you want submissions to come from.

Step 3: Your audience adds points.

Anyone with the link can click "Add Point," fill out your form, and drop a pin. No account required. No app to download.

Step 4: You approve, then it goes live.

Every submission waits for your review. Approve, edit, or reject it from your dashboard. Approved points appear on the map instantly.

Bonus! Every contributor leaves an email when they add a point, so your crowdsourced map quietly doubles as a lead generation tool.

What can you crowdsource? Almost anything with a location.

Because you control the form, you can collect any location-based information from any audience. A few of the ways people use Proxi crowdsourcing:

Local business directories

Let businesses add and manage their own listings so your directory stays current without you touching it.

Community recommendations

Crowdsource the best coffee, hidden gems, dog-friendly patios, or anything your audience knows better than you do

Events and festivals

Let organizers or attendees add events to the map, and let people opt in or RSVP right from the point.

Paid placements

Charge businesses to add a point and turn your map into a revenue stream.

Disaster and crisis response

Crowdsource shelters, supply drops, road closures, and relief resources in real time.

Travel and destination maps

Collect spots from followers, members, or past visitors to build a guide that grows on its own.

Holiday Display

Map the best light displays, trick-or-treat streets, and seasonal events with your community.

Feedback and ideas

Gather testimonials, suggestions, and community input pinned to real places.

Go further with Crowdsourcing

Proxi Pro unlocks:
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Custom form fields. Collect text, phone numbers, emails, links, single and multi-select dropdowns, checkboxes, and photo uploads.
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‍Conditional logic. Show or hide questions based on previous answers, so forms stay short and completion rates stay high, especially on mobile.
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‍Point comments. Let visitors discuss and add context to points, turning your map into a live conversation.
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‍Spreadsheet view. See every submission, email, and field response in one sortable, filterable table.
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‍CSV export. Pull all your crowdsourced data into your own systems and workflows.
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‍Secret edit links. Hand each contributor a private link so they can update and manage their own listing over time.

The old way: spreadsheets, form tools, and geocoding APIs

If you have ever tried to build a map people can contribute to without Proxi, you know the workflow. It usually looks like the process on the right. That is four or five disconnected tools, an API key, and no real control over quality. It breaks the moment a non-technical teammate needs to update it.

Build a form in Google Forms, JotForm, or Typeform to collect submissions.

Responses pile up in a spreadsheet as plain text.

Geocode the addresses. A spreadsheet does not know where "123 Main Street" sits on a map. You need latitude and longitude, so you run every address through a geocoding API or add-on, which usually means an API key, a credit card on file, and usage limits to watch.

Pipe the geocoded sheet into a map. Google My Maps, Leaflet, or another renderer plots the pins, and you re-import the data every time it changes.

Moderate manually. Most of these setups have no approval step, so anyone can push bad or spammy data straight onto your live map.

Embed and style it. One more tool, one more step.

The new way to accept map submissions

The old way

The new way

A separate form builder to collect submissions

The map is the form. People submit on the map.

Geocoding API, API key, and a credit card

Geocoding is auto. No keys, no credits to monitor.

No moderation, anyone can post bad data

Built-in approval. Nothing goes live until you say so.

Manual re-imports to refresh the map

Submissions appear in real time.

Extra steps to embed and style the map

Embed anywhere in a click, fully branded.

Contributor data sits dormant in a sheet

Every submission captures a lead with an email.

You live inside the spreadsheet.

Export to CSV whenever you actually want one.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is a crowdsourced map?

A crowdsourced map is an interactive map that your audience helps build. People add their own points and information through a form you control, and you review submissions before they go live. It is a fast way to keep a map accurate, current, and genuinely community-driven.

How do I let people add locations to my map?

In Proxi, you customize your add-point form, then toggle crowdsourcing on. Your map gets an "Add Point" button that anyone with the link can use. There is nothing to code and no separate form tool to connect.

Do I need to know how to code or use a geocoding API?

No. Proxi geocodes every submitted address automatically. You do not need an API key, a credit card for a maps API, or any coding knowledge.

Is crowdsourcing free?

Yes. Every Proxi map is crowdsourceable, and free plans support up to 25 points per map. For custom form fields, conditional logic, and other advanced features, subscribe to Proxi Pro.

Can I approve points before they appear on the map?

Yes. With the approval feature turned on, every submission waits for your review. You are notified of new submissions and can approve, edit, or reject each one from your dashboard, so you keep full control over quality and accuracy.

What information can I collect from contributors?

With our default form, you can collect location, titles, descriptions, photos, and links. You can customize this form to collect custom text fields, phone numbers, emails, single and multi-select dropdowns, checkboxes, and photo uploads, plus conditional logic to keep forms relevant.

Can people add points without an account or app?

Yes. Anyone with your map link can add a point. No account, no sign-up, and no app download required.

How is this different from using Google Forms and a spreadsheet?

A form-and-spreadsheet setup needs a separate form tool, a geocoding step to convert addresses into map coordinates, a separate map renderer, and manual moderation. Proxi replaces that whole stack with one toggle. The map is the form, geocoding is automatic, approval is built in, and updates appear in real time.

Can I use a crowdsourced map for lead generation?

Yes. Every contributor provides an email when they add a point, so your map builds a list of engaged contacts you can message directly from Proxi.

Can I charge people to add a point?

Yes. Many organizations use crowdsourced maps to sell placements, letting businesses pay to add their location and turning the map into a revenue stream.

Can I export my crowdsourced data?

Yes. You can export all point and form data as a CSV file for analysis, backups, or syncing with other tools. Spreadsheet view also shows every response and email in a sortable table.

Can I embed my crowdsourced map on my website?

Yes. Every Proxi map can be embedded on your website, blog, or newsletter, and you can collect submissions from anywhere the map is embedded.

Does Proxi integrate with my other tools?

Yes. Proxi integrates with platforms like make.com, so you can connect your crowdsourced map data to your existing workflows.

Crowdsourced Maps: Let Your Whole Audience Add to the Map

What Is a Crowdsourced Map