Make Your First Edit to OpenStreetMap in the Next 15 Minutes

This tutorial shows you how to add a website tag to a nearby shop or amenity in OpenStreetMap (OSM) in less than 15 minutes. By doing this, your contribution will help millions of people worldwide. First, sign up for a free OSM account and confirm your email address. Then, download and run JOSM, a powerful tool for editing OSM data.

Although other simpler editors are available, JOSM offers plugins that streamline the process. Next, filter the OSM data to show only shops and amenities without a website tag. By adding a website tag to these places, you make it easier for others to find information such as phone numbers, opening hours, and email addresses. Once you've made your first edit, you can continue improving OSM by tagging more places in your area of interest (AOI).

For instance, I added 66 website tags in Seattle's Wallingford neighborhood, but there are over 1 million shops in the United States, so the more people who contribute, the better the map becomes.