I have a set of data that corresponds to zip code, and I'd like to turn that into a map. From what I've gathered thus far, zip code shapefiles are difficult to find and work with due to the fact that they're not polygonal. However, I found an old version of the US Census's 5-Digit zip code tabulation areas on the Census website that I think will do the trick.
I'm currently using Magic Maps in an attempt to do keep this mapping process as non-technical as possible, and I was able to import map the outlines of the zip codes quite easily. However, when it comes to incorporating my data into this map, I'm a little lost. I was able to plot the points in the appropriate location on the map (very simple copy/paste process thanks to Magic Maps).
However, the data shows up as a point on the map, and I'd like it to fill the entire zip code instead. See here for an example. I'm new to GIS and shapefiles and dbfs and whatnot, so correct me if I'm wrong, but I'm guessing this is due to the fact that the zip code "tag" in my csv data isn't connected in any way to the dbf file, so it's not actually connected to the contour that shows up on the map. As a result, the software just places a point on the map that's more or less in the center of the zip code, which is in no way connected to the shapefile that I downloaded from the Census website. Is this correct? And if so, is there a way that I can add my data to the dbf file? Or, is there a better way of going about all of this?