Make your first edit to OpenStreetMap
Points and comments are a snapshot, not live.
A 15-minute tutorial guides beginners to add missing website tags to OpenStreetMap shops using the JOSM editor.
The tutorial recommends JOSM, a Java-based desktop editor, for its plugin and filter capabilities. Users create an OSM account, download JOSM, and download data for a small area of interest (a few city blocks). They apply a filter to show only shops and amenities without a website tag, then use the WebsiteWizard plugin to search DuckDuckGo for the official website. Users must avoid social media profiles, review sites, or aggregators. After adding the URL, they upload the changeset with a comment and data source set to 'survey'.
What commenters are saying
Commenters strongly advise beginners to skip JOSM and use the simpler web-based iD editor on openstreetmap.org, citing JOSM's steep learning curve and frustrating UX. Several note that downloading data often fails without clear size guidance. One commenter suggests using mobile apps like Every Door for easier local edits. The article's instruction to avoid social media sites like Facebook or Instagram as 'official websites' is debated: some argue many small businesses now rely on social media as their primary web presence, though separate contact:facebook or contact:instagram tags exist for those.