How to claim a square on Internet Map (step-by-step)

This is the practical guide to claiming a square on Internet Map - from first click to a live /@handle people can open. We’ll cover Early free seats, plan differences, plot placement, checkout, and what to do in the first hour after you go live so the square doesn’t look abandoned.

Before you start

• Know which domain you’re representing (example.com).
• Pick a handle you’ll keep - short, brandable, hard to typo.
• Have a square logo or OG image ready (square crops look best on the map).
• Decide Personal / Startup (auto place) vs Business / Enterprise (choose plot).
• Use the email account you’ll still control next year - ownership follows the account.

Step 1 - Sign in

Go to /claim (or /signup then return). Sign in with email/password or Google. Squares are tied to the user that completes the claim. If your co-founder should own it, have them sign in - or plan to transfer later via support/admin processes. Don’t claim on a throwaway login.

Step 2 - Enter your domain and profile basics

Paste your website. Internet Map tries to autofill name, summary, and images from open-graph tags when possible. Edit anything that looks wrong. Your map tile image should read at tiny sizes - wordmarks and simple icons beat busy screenshots. You can refine media later in the dashboard with separate map / panel / profile images if you want.

Step 3 - Choose a plan (and understand Early)

Plans control footprint and placement rights:

• Personal ($99/yr) - 1×1, auto Prime Center.
• Startup ($249/yr) - 1×1, auto Prime Center, stronger profile tooling.
• Business ($499/yr) - 2×2, choose your plot.
• Enterprise ($1,999/yr) - 3×3, choose your plot, maximum presence.

If Early seats remain (first 25 human claims), you can take any plan size free and receive a permanent Early badge. The homepage and claim UI show seats left. After #25, Paddle annual checkout applies.

Step 4 - Place the plot

Personal and Startup: we auto-assign an open cell near Prime Center around HQ. Business and Enterprise: use the plot picker - pan/zoom the 1000×1000 map, drag your footprint, avoid overlaps. Corners of the world map are legal but lonely; most brands want neighbors near center for screenshots.

Step 5 - Confirm claim / checkout

Review the summary. For Early, complete the free-claim path. Otherwise continue to Paddle. On success you’ll land on a celebration state and the square should appear on the map with your handle. If something looks pending, refresh ownership from the dashboard - unpaid pending_payment squares won’t behave like live claimed tiles.

Step 6 - First-hour checklist after you’re live

• Open /@yourhandle in an incognito window - fix summary typos.
• Upload a crisp map image if autofill picked a weak favicon.
• Add social links you actually use.
• Start domain verification when you can access DNS or meta tags.
• Tweet/post coordinates + profile link while the claim is fresh.
• Add the profile URL to your site footer or link-in-bio.

Common mistakes

• Claiming with a personal Gmail you don’t want as the company owner.
• Using a 1600×900 marketing screenshot as the map tile (it crops badly).
• Picking a handle you’ll regret when the real brand name settles.
• Business plan without actually placing the plot carefully - leave buffer from HQ if you want a clean screenshot.
• Never verifying - you leave trust on the table as the map densifies.

FAQ

Can two people claim the same domain?

Handles are unique. Domains should be verified to prove control. If someone squats a confusing handle, verification and public profiles make the real brand obvious - claim your exact brand string early.

Can I change coordinates later?

Treat placement as durable. Admin tools exist for exceptional cases; don’t plan on musical chairs. Choose carefully the first time.