Short for ‘geography tagging’, geotagging has risen to become popular across major social media platforms – including Facebook, Instagram, and Snapchat, among others. While most are familiar with the concepts such as posts and hashtags, geotags may be novel for many people, especially if you are just a casual user of social media. If you consider yourself a social media marketer, or are representing a brand or business on social media, you’ll most likely want to know what geotagging is, as it can help enhance your online presence. That’s why in today’s blog we’re going to explore what geotags are and how they can help your social media strategy, no matter what industry or field you’re in. If that sounds interesting, keep reading below!
Geotagging as a Concept
If you have posted social media content before – answer this quick question – how much of it was taken/recorded in a distinct location or place? It doesn’t matter whether a dog park, or a five-star restaurant, geotags can help distinguish social media content based on the location in question. Conceptually, geotags are a lot like hashtags, which also categorize content based on topic, or in this case, place.
Geotag locations can serve as an index for searching through social media content. For example, if I wanted to see posts taken at Madison Square Garden, all I would have to do is use the location ‘Madison Square Garden’ to orient my search.
How to Use Them
Using geotags is usually an easy thing to do, but it may depend based upon what social media platform you’re using. Most major social media networks allow you to add a location tag to your content – this can definitely be said for Facebook, Instagram and Snapchat. With other formats, you may have to do some searching and/or research as to how to use them.
Why They Help Your Social Media Strategy
When it comes to social media success for you or your brand, exposure is the name of the game. Geotags not only reflect well upon you, making your business location look professional and valid, but they also inform users of exactly where you are located in the event that they want to visit. For places such as shops, salons, or restaurants, this can be especially of benefit.