Introduction

The Sell & Fundraise feature allows you to monetize your maps by charging users for access or accepting flexible payments and donations directly through Scribble Maps. This powerful tool enables content creators, businesses, and organizations to generate revenue from their custom maps or collect donations for causes. This guide will walk you through creating monetized maps, configuring various pricing models, and customizing the user experience.

With Sell & Fundraise, you can:

• Monetize access to maps.
• Accept flexible donations.
• Build branded fundraising experiences.
• Offer subscriptions or one-time purchases.

To enable and maintain the Sell & Fundraise feature, you must have an active Pro Basic subscription. If your subscription lapses, your paid maps will no longer be available for new purchases.

Back to top ↑

Use Case: Selling a Digital Hiking Map

To illustrate how the Sell & Fundraise feature can be used effectively, here’s a real-world example from a map creator who successfully monetized a niche product.

Example: Steigen – Your Last Hiking Map!

This $9.99 digital map provides a complete hiking guide to the Steigen peninsula in northern Norway. It includes:

• Categorized hiking trails (easy, intermediate, demanding, strenuous).
• GPX downloads for navigation.
• Parking locations, viewpoints, beaches, and camping spots.
• Grocery stores, public showers, and ferry routes.
• Photos and resource links.

Why This Approach Works

• Niche Value: Focused on a specific destination with highly relevant content.
• Fixed Pricing: One-time purchase is ideal for static or semi-static maps.
• Professional Presentation: Cover image, badges, and social links enhance trust.
• Clear Offering: Description uses bullet points to highlight key features quickly.

Whether you're creating a travel guide, local business map, or educational resource, Sell & Fundraise helps you turn your expertise into a product your audience will pay for.

Back to top ↑

Getting Started

The Sell & Fundraise feature enables you to transform your maps into valuable digital products. Before diving into the specific settings, it's important to understand the overall process. You'll first create a map with the content you want to monetize, save it with the Sell & Fundraise option, configure your pricing and customization options, and then finalize the setup.

Important Requirements Before You Begin

• You must be on an active Pro Basic plan or higher.
• You cannot enable Sell & Fundraise on a map that was previously saved without it.
• If you have an existing map you'd like to monetize, you must re-save it using a new Map ID and select Sell & Fundraise during the save process.
• A Stripe account is required to receive payments. You’ll be prompted to connect or create one during setup if needed.

Sell & Fundraise Setup Flow

1. Create your new map or re-save an existing one with a new Map ID.
2. Select Sell & Fundraise in the Save dialog.
3. Configure pricing (fixed, subscription, or Pay What You Want).
4. Add visuals, social links, and customer fields.
5. Write your product description and finalize the setup.
6. Accept the Seller Terms and publish.
7. Share your link and track earnings via Stripe.

Back to top ↑

Creating a New Map for Sell & Fundraise

Reminder: Only new maps saved with the Sell & Fundraise option can be monetized.

1. Create a new map with your content.
2. Press Ctrl+S or click the Save button to begin the save process.
3. In the "Save Map" dialog:
   • Enter a professional Map ID (e.g., "GardenGrove").
   • Enter a descriptive Title (e.g., "Garden Grove Fundraiser").
   • Add a Description to help potential buyers understand what your map offers (e.g., "Map for Community Garden Fundraiser").
   • Choose a Team if applicable (or leave as "No Team").
   • Select Sell & Fundraise from the visibility options.

Note: The moment you select "Sell & Fundraise," the "SELL ACCESS SETTINGS" window will automatically appear.

For more information on the general map-saving process, see Save a Map.

(Optional) Import Existing Map Content

If you want to use content from an existing map in your new Sell & Fundraise map, you can import it using the Load/Import feature:

1. Create your new map.
2. Go to Menu > Load Import.
3. Enter the Map ID of your existing map.
4. Follow the Load or Import a map by using the Map ID guide for detailed instructions.

Back to top ↑

Configuring Sell Access Settings

Once you save your map as Sell & Fundraise, the "SELL ACCESS SETTINGS" menu will automatically open. You can also access these settings later by editing your map properties.

The Sell Access Settings panel gives you control over how users pay, what they see, and what information you collect. Before configuring, consider your monetization goals:

• Are you selling a finished product? Choose a fixed price.
• Are you running an ongoing fundraiser? Consider Pay What You Want.
• Do you update the map regularly? A subscription model may be ideal.

The following steps will walk you through setting up these options.

Step 1: Set Access Plan(s)

You can offer your map through multiple payment options:

Fixed Price Options

1. Select one or more of the following payment types:
   • Once (Lifetime): One-time purchase for permanent access.
   • Monthly: Recurring monthly subscription.
   • Yearly: Recurring annual subscription.
2. Set the price for each selected payment type:
   • You can set different prices for different payment types.
   • For each price you set, you'll see:
     • Our Fee: Scribble Maps fee (5%).
     • Stripe Fee: Payment processing fee (2.9% + $0.30).
     • Final: Your earnings after fees.

Pay What You Want (Units/Donate)

1. Select the Pay What You Want (Units/Donate) option.
2. Configure the following settings:
   • Unit Price: Base price per unit (e.g., $5.00 or $10.00).
   • Min: Minimum number of units that can be purchased (e.g., 0).
   • Max: Maximum number of units that can be purchased (e.g., 1000).
   • Unit Name: What you're selling (e.g., "Garden Plot" or "10 Sq. Ft. Accessible Path").

This option lets buyers choose how many units to purchase, making it ideal for donations and flexible pricing models.

Tip: Use creative unit names and pricing to make donations feel more tangible.
Example: Instead of “$10 donation,” label it “Fund 10 Sq. Ft. Accessible Path” with a $10 Unit Price.

Step 2: Customize/Fields/Profile

This section allows you to customize what media and information is presented to potential buyers:

Cover Media

• Cover Image: Upload an image to represent your map.
• Cover Video: Add a YouTube video to showcase your map features.

Preview Options

• Set Preview Map: Choose from "No Preview Map," "Use Folder," or "Use Existing Map" to provide a sample of your content.

Additional Information

• Social Links: Add links to your social media profiles, website, and other online presence.
  • Website
  • Facebook
  • X
  • Bluesky
  • Instagram
  • YouTube
  • LinkedIn
• Add Customer Fields: Collect additional information from buyers or donors during checkout by enabling custom form fields.
  • Multi-Select
    • Required: Determines if this is a required field or not.
    • Field Label: This is the question or prompt your donors will see.
      Example: “How did you hear about our fundraiser?”
    • Add Options: These are the specific checkbox answers they can select from.
      Example: Friend or Family, Social Media, Local Newsletter, Community Bulletin
  • Text Area
    • Required: Determines if this is a required field or not.
    • Field Label: This is the open-ended prompt shown above the text box.
      Example: Why is this project meaningful to you?
  • Shipping Address: Enables a full address form to collect mailing information from buyers or donors.

Step 3: Product Description

Use the rich text editor to create a compelling description of your map. This is your opportunity to:

• Explain what makes your map valuable.
• Detail what buyers and donors will receive.
• Highlight unique features or content.

The editor includes standard formatting options, including bold, italic, underline, lists, and more.

Additional Settings

Configure these important options before completing the setup:

• Editor Use: Allow users to use your map in their projects outside the share link (Ideal for interactive templates or industry-specific maps).
• Promote: Allow Scribble Maps to feature your map on their site, newsletter, and advertisements.
• Limit Sales: Restrict the number of purchases (Best used for limited-time promotions or exclusive content).
• Is Donation: Mark your map as a donation to communicate its charitable purpose.

  The ‘Is Donation’ tag helps communicate your map’s purpose but does not alter fee processing or access controls. Use the 'Free Access' toggle if you want to provide unpaid access.

   
• Free Access: Provide free access options alongside donations and pay-what-you-want.

Back to top ↑

Completing the Setup

After configuring all your Sell Access Settings (Steps 1-3 and Additional Settings):

1. Click SAVE SETTINGS to apply your configuration.
2. Review and accept the Seller Terms.
   • A dialog will appear with the message "By creating a paid map you agree to our Seller Terms".
   • Click I Agree to continue.
3. Return to the "SAVE MAP" dialog.
4. Click SAVE MAP to finalize the process.

Your map is now set up for monetization and will be available according to the access plans you've configured.

Back to top ↑

Best Practices

Optimize your map sales by pricing strategically, crafting clear descriptions, offering effective previews, selecting the ideal payment model, and avoiding common pitfalls.

Setting the Right Price

• Research similar maps to determine competitive pricing.
• Consider the time invested in creating your map.
• Think about your target audience's expectations.
• For professional services, align pricing with the value your map provides to businesses.
• A good rule of thumb is to start lower, gather feedback, and raise pricing as you demonstrate value.

Creating Compelling Descriptions

• Be clear about what buyers will receive.
• Highlight unique features and benefits.
• Use formatting to make information easy to scan.
• Include information about how often you'll update the map (if applicable).
• Mention any specialized data or research that went into creating the map.

Using Preview Maps Effectively

• Show enough to demonstrate value without giving everything away.
• Consider creating a special "teaser" version of your full map.
• For business maps, include a sample area that shows your professional quality.

Choosing the Right Payment Model

• Once (Lifetime): Ideal for static maps that provide permanent value.
• Monthly/Yearly: Best for maps that receive regular updates or provide ongoing utility.
• Pay What You Want: Perfect for fundraising, community projects, or when serving diverse economic audiences.

Pitfalls to Avoid

• Avoid Overpricing Without Differentiation: If your map closely resembles free alternatives, premium pricing will feel unjustified. Emphasize unique data, design, or interactivity to earn your price.
• Don’t Overshare in Previews: Preview content should tease, not reveal. If users get full access or can recreate the map from what’s shown, purchases may drop.

Back to top ↑

Frequently Asked Questions

Back to top ↑