Greetings from the beautiful shores of Split, Croatia! At HiveFest 2024, I had the exciting opportunity to unveil Web3 Maps—a game-changer for anyone building on the Hive blockchain. With maps now integrated into user profiles, you can easily showcase your favorite businesses and locations.
But that’s just the beginning. Custom maps can also be used in social projects on Hive, offering new ways to engage communities and enhance interaction.
Welcome, Hive-ians, to HiveFest 2024 in Split, Croatia! As is our tradition, I'm excited to share something new and fascinating with you today—Web3 Maps on Hive.
The Object Reference Protocol on Hive allows you to do much more than just posting and upvoting. It lets you publish and connect a diverse range of content—products, books, restaurants, businesses, wiki pages, lists, widgets, and more. Each object is given a unique URL on Hive, and when you link an object in your post, your post automatically appears on the object’s page, specifically in the reviews section. This not only provides better visibility for your posts but also contributes to the accumulation of knowledge on Hive, creating a rich, interconnected network of information.
Today, we're thrilled to introduce Web3 Maps on Hive. Now, you can use maps directly in your profiles, create custom maps, and integrate them into your projects.
Express your appreciation for a business or restaurant by giving it a heart.
Take Art of Sauna, for example—one of my favorite spas in the Vancouver area, complete with business details and a photo gallery. If you want to show your support, simply click the heart icon, and it will instantly be added to your profile map, allowing you to easily showcase your favorite spots.
From now on, every user profile will feature a dedicated 'Map' tab alongside the usual tabs like blog posts, comments, followers, and wallet. This 'Map' tab allows you to showcase your favorite destinations, businesses you love, or places you’ve visited.
Once you’ve hearted a business or mentioned it in a post, it will instantly appear on your profile map, making it easy for you and your followers to explore those locations.
What if the business you want to add isn’t listed on Hive yet? No problem—we’ve got you covered.
The Waivio Chrome extension, compatible with any Chrome-based browser like Edge or Brave, makes adding businesses simple and seamless.
Just select a business on OpenStreetMap or Google Maps, then click the orange Waivio icon in your browser’s toolbar to activate the extension. With one click on 'Upload to Waivio,' you can instantly add the business to the Hive blockchain and your profile map
For example, I visited Google Maps, selected 'Peak Performance' clothing store in Whistler, and clicked 'Upload to Waivio.' Now, this business has a dedicated page on Hive and is live on my profile map. Maps in profiles offer a powerful way to showcase your favorite locations, support local businesses, and contribute to the growing knowledge base on Hive.
Creating custom maps is incredibly simple for Hive users. Start by writing a new post. On the right side of the screen (or using the 'Create New Object' button on mobile), select the 'Map' option. After giving your map a name—let’s call this one 'Coffee Map'—the map object will be created. From there, you can fully customize it to display the locations or content you want to feature.
Start by selecting the objects you want to display on the map.
List of Objects
One of the simplest ways to define a group of businesses or restaurants to display is by creating a list. If you want a business to appear on the map, just add it to the list. If you no longer want it displayed, simply remove it. The list can also be organized into more complex structures, such as sub-lists, for better categorization.
Filter Objects by Tags
Objects can be tagged with keywords, and you can use these tags to filter what appears on your map. For example, you can configure the map to display all locations tagged as "coffeeshop." To show a business on the map, simply add the tag, and to remove it, just delete the tag from that business.
Limit the Area
You can focus your map on a specific geographic area, such as a particular city, to avoid showing businesses with the same name in different locations. This makes it easier for users to find relevant businesses without confusion.
Set Initial Map Views
You can customize how the map is displayed when accessed on different devices. For desktop, decide whether to show a global view or zoom in on a specific region. The same goes for mobile, where you can adjust the map to provide an optimal view in vertical orientation.
Now, let's take a look at some examples of how maps are being integrated into various social projects on Hive. These projects showcase the power of maps in enhancing user interaction and content discovery.
What’s even more exciting is that you can launch your own social project on Hive—including maps—within just 10 minutes.
One great example of map integration on Hive is CampingMapper.com. This project features almost 10,000 campgrounds across North America, making it easy for users to discover new camping spots. The goal of the project is not just to list established campgrounds but also to start mapping wild camping spots—places where you can pitch a tent or park your RV.
The CampingMapper community on Hive actively shares their camping experiences, reviews, and recommendations.
Coffee is a popular topic on Hive, and CoffeeShop.Gifts taps into that by showcasing independent coffee shops from around the world. Through map integration, users can explore locations, add reviews and mark favorites directly to their profile maps.
CleanGirlLook.com integrates maps to help users find beauty salons, nail bars, hair care, and skincare services. With map integration, users can easily locate nearby salons, add their favorite spots to their profile maps, and share reviews.
AcceptCryptoMap.com features a global map of businesses that accept cryptocurrency, including Bitcoin, Lightning, and HBD. Users can easily find crypto-friendly businesses nearby and add their favorites to their personal maps.
They can also share their experiences of paying with crypto, and these reviews are automatically added to the business’s page.
As you’ve seen, the integration of maps into social projects on Hive opens up countless possibilities. Whether it's supporting local businesses, sharing personal recommendations, or building unique communities, maps add immense value to the user experience. And the best part? You can launch your own social project with map integration in just minutes. So, what kind of map would you like to build today?
