Find and add nearby businesses

How-to 1

Choose Search, Logos, or POIs

Use Search when the location matters: you want a particular storefront, bank, school, or other business around your subject property. It finds business records with a name, address, and coordinates. The artwork selection happens after you choose a record.

Use Logos for standalone brand artwork and POIs for a location you already saved. A brand can have many branches. Selecting a recognizable logo by itself does not establish which branch belongs on your map.

How-to 2

Frame the area and run a search

1. 1

   Set the area first

   Open your map and pan or zoom to show the neighborhood you want to investigate. The search uses the visible bounds as a location bias. A bias is not a strict geographic boundary, so a returned business can still fall outside the area you intended.

2. 2

   Search by typing

   Open Search. In Search by business name or type, type a name such as a grocery brand or a phrase such as coffee shop. Pause typing and wait for the results; this panel searches automatically after a short pause.

3. 3

   Search by category

   Alternatively, click Grocery, Retail, Restaurants, Schools, Banks, Gas Stations, Government, Medical, Hotels, or Pharmacies. The selected category supplies the query. For a type without a category button, type it into the search field.

4. 4

   Refine the result set

   If results are irrelevant, try a more specific business name or add the city or street to the query. If you change the map area, run the query again. Previously listed results should not be assumed to update just because you panned.

How-to 3

Read a result before adding it

Each result row shows a business name and address. When the map has a subject location, the row also shows an approximate distance from that subject. Results are ordered by proximity to the subject location when it is available.

1. 1

   Check the branch

   Match the street and city, not just the chain name. Two branches of the same brand can both appear in the list. Include the branch that is relevant to the property story.

2. 2

   Interpret the distance

   The displayed miles describe straight-line proximity, not a driving route, walk time, or trade-area calculation. A location across a highway can be close by distance but difficult to access. Use the address and road context when deciding whether to include it.

3. 3

   Confirm what you will claim

   Search coverage and business status can be incomplete or stale. Verify an important anchor tenant or co-tenancy claim against your current project information before sharing the map. A result is a starting point for review.

How-to 4

Add one business with a logo or text

1. 1

   Click the row or add control

   Click the business name or the add control in its row. Do not use its checkbox for this workflow. The Business Logo dialog opens for the selected business, including when no suitable artwork was found.

2. 2

   Choose an artwork candidate

   Review Found Business Logos. Click the intended candidate to add it. Selection can place the artwork immediately, so inspect the candidate before clicking. Check the shape, lettering, and background, especially for brands with similar names.

3. 3

   Upload your own artwork

   If the candidates are unsuitable, choose Upload Custom Logo and select the image you want to use for this business. This keeps the selected business location while using your file for its appearance.

4. 4

   Use the business name instead

   Choose Use Text Only to add the selected business without a logo. This is useful for local businesses, unfamiliar brands, or a first layout pass. The text comes from the business record; use the standalone Text tool when you need a separate custom annotation.

5. 5

   Inspect the placed result

   After placement, the dialog and search panel close and the result list clears. Find the new business on the map, check its anchor, and move its displayed label if it overlaps something. Reopen Search to add another business.

How-to 5

Place several reviewed businesses as text

1. 1

   Check the rows you want

   Run a search, then use the checkbox beside each reviewed result. Clicking a checkbox adds it to the selection without opening the logo dialog. The footer shows how many results are selected.

2. 2

   Correct the selection

   Uncheck a row to remove it. Click Clear to uncheck everything without placing the set. A new successful search resets the selection, so finish the current batch before searching for another category.

3. 3

   Place the selected set

   Click Place N as Text, where N is the selected count. The app places business records using their names, then clears the search and closes the panel. It does not automatically choose a logo for every selected business.

4. 4

   Arrange the batch

   Inspect all placed labels and move overlapping ones into open space. Verify each line endpoint independently. If a placement error occurs, inspect the map before retrying the whole set so you do not unintentionally add duplicates.

How-to 6

Change artwork and reuse a location

1. 1

   Change a placed business logo

   Reveal the business overlay controls and choose Change logo. Review the new candidates, upload a file, or use the offered text option. Keep the branch location fixed while changing its presentation.

2. 2

   Separate artwork from the anchor

   Drag the displayed artwork to a readable area. Use Toggle leader line to show its connector. Moving the artwork and moving the anchor serve different purposes: the first improves layout, while the second changes where the line points.

3. 3

   Save the business for later

   With Pro, use Save to My POIs on the business overlay, or open POIs and use Save this map's businesses. Review the saved records before relying on them in another project. Save the map after finishing the arrangement.

How-to 7

Worked example: a grocery anchor and dining cluster

For a shopping-center overview, first search Grocery and add the reviewed anchor as a logo. Search Restaurants next, check three relevant results, and place them as text. This gives the anchor visual prominence while keeping the smaller businesses legible.

Move the dining labels into clear space, verify the endpoints, and shorten any separate custom annotations with Text. If the restaurant logos are important to the presentation, review and add them individually instead of expecting the batch operation to select artwork.

How-to 8

Troubleshoot search and placement