Updated: May 29, 2024
Well-designed markers significantly enhance the aesthetics and usability of your interactive map. Here are some tips for creating excellent markers for your maps.
Select the Right Icons
When organizing your map with categories, add icons to the markers that connect with the category name. For example, for a wine bar category, use a wine glass or wine bottle icon.
We offer an extensive selection of icons. Start by using the name of the category as your search keyword.
Your icons should be clear and easily recognizable at first glance. We recommend selecting icons that are filled in or have thick outlines to ensure they display clearly, even at a small size.
Avoid icons with thin lines and no fill, as they are harder to distinguish. Check this example below:
Choose the Marker and Icon Color
Icons will display in either white or black, depending on the marker’s background color. Mapme automatically adjusts the icon color to maximize contrast: on a dark background, the icon will be white, and on a light background, it will be black.
We recommend keeping the icon colors consistent for all your markers—either all white or all black. You might need to adjust the marker background color to achieve this consistency.
Icons size
With Mapme, you can adjust the size of an icon within the marker. We recommend setting the icon size to use most of the marker’s real estate without touching the marker border or overlapping. Check these examples:
- Recommended: Fits nicely and leverages most of the marker’s real estate.
- Not recommended: The icon is too small.
- Not recommended: The icon is too large and goes beyond the marker outline.
Marker Size
he size of your markers significantly impacts the usability and aesthetics of your interactive map. If the markers are too large, they might overlap and obscure parts of the map. If they are too small, they will be hard to see, and the icons may not display clearly.
We recommend the following dimensions:
- 35 pixels for circle-shaped markers
- 40 pixels for pin-shaped markers
Add a Border
For circle markers, you can add a border to help them stand out on the map. If you enable a border, ensure the icon is properly sized and does not touch the border.
Choosing the right type of markers
Mapme offers a broad range of marker types: Circle, Pin, Floating, and Image.
- Circle Markers: Recommended for most use cases. Circle markers are visually appealing and provide better visibility for icons compared to pin markers.
- Pin Markers: Recommended when pinpointing the exact location of a place on the map is important. The bottom of the pin indicates the exact location.
- Floating Markers: Recommended as non-clickable markers (stamps), for example, to show a mode of transportation between two locations.
- Image Markers: Recommended when you want to display specific information, such as a brand logo.
Check out our Marker Customization Guide to learn how to customize your markers in the Mapme editor.