How To Use Custom Geotags To Find Local Customers On Instagram

“Ever since Instagram Stories launched with the ability to add stickers, it’s become even more fun for users to share and connect through their photos. 

By using Instagram geotags, you can now better reach your local market that may have otherwise been difficult to find. The best part is that adding custom geotags is easy. Here are some tips on how to use custom geotags on Instagram.”

Creative Location Tags to Use on Instagram
Key Takeaways
1. Geotags are powerful tools for targeting local customers on Instagram.
2. Custom geotags can enhance your business visibility and connect you with your local audience.
3. Utilize geotags strategically to increase engagement and interaction with your posts.
4. Geotagging fosters a sense of community and location-specific engagement.
5. Incorporate geotags into your Instagram strategy to boost brand awareness and attract potential customers.

Your Geotags Can Be Submitted On The Instagram App

There are two ways to submit your geotags. First, you can submit them on the Instagram app in your profile area. You’ll need to make sure that the account is set up with accurate location information before doing so.

Second, if you prefer using a desktop browser rather than an app, then go ahead and submit your geotag by visiting https://www.instagram.com/business/. 

In addition to enabling accurate location information for your account as mentioned above, this method of submission also allows more flexibility in terms of how many geotags can be submitted per week (up to 10) and per day (up to 5).

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Use Unique, Branded Geotags To Increase Your Brand Awareness

Use unique, branded geotags to increase your brand awareness

You can encourage engagement by including a hashtag in the description of your geotag, along with a link to your website. For example: “#mybrandname #linktous”

Keep in mind that they are temporary and you should choose locations that people will remember. 

If you live in New York City and post from Brooklyn Bridge Park one day and Times Square the next, it will be difficult for users to remember where exactly they saw you and thus whether or not they want to follow you on Instagram!

Keep It Consistent With Your Other Social Media Branding

You should always be consistent with your brand’s tone and voice. When you use the same geotag on all of your social media platforms, it will help to create a visual connection between them that further strengthens your brand identity.

That said, if you are using a different geotag for Instagram than you do for Facebook or Twitter (and so on), it’s best to stick with that strategy across all platforms unless there’s an advantage to switching things up. 

Using different geotags can make it easier for people who follow you on multiple platforms to find new content they haven’t already seen before.

Mastering your Instagram marketing plan is crucial for building a strong brand presence. Explore our article featuring 15 tips for mastering your Instagram marketing plan for your brand to refine your approach and engage your audience effectively.

Use A Hashtag In Your Geotag To Help Make It Easier To Find

Hashtags are searchable, making it easier for people who want to see your content in their area or region. This can help drive traffic from new followers from different areas and locations who you might not otherwise have connected with.

Hashtags also help you get discovered by potential customers, as they allow your business to rise above the noise and appear on hashtag pages in local communities where users are posting content related to what you offer (e.g., if you’re a restaurant owner, using #foodie will help you reach more foodies).

Hashtagging can be used by anyone not just businesses to build brand awareness, and create communities around shared interests and industry-specific topics (e.g., #travel).

Engage customers through contests/giveaways/discounts that require participants’ participation via hashtags (e.g., #win), participate in conversations among peers (“trending” topics), etc…

Include A Link To Your Website In Your Geotag Description

The caption of your geotag is the most obvious place to include a link to your website, but there are other ways to get people to click through.

  • Include a link in the description of your geotag
  • Include a link in the comments of your geotag (if you have followers who are likely to leave comments)
  • Make sure that when you post an actual photo with your custom location tag, it’s clear where that photo was taken. 

If possible, include some sort of visual clue like a landmark or distinctive building in the frame so people know exactly where they’ll find themselves if they click on that geotagged location.

Geotags Are Temporary. They Only Last For 7 Days

However, geotags are temporary. They only last for 7 days because Instagram wants to provide the most accurate location data possible for their users. If you want to make sure that your geotag is seen by local customers or keep it from being removed, you have to submit it again. 

There is no way around this requirement and if you try, your post will be removed from Instagram’s algorithm altogether. Because of this feature, we recommend submitting a new geotag each time that you change it so that Instagram knows what your current location is.

Learn how to leverage geotags to connect with local customers on Instagram. Our comprehensive guide on using custom geotags to find local customers on Instagram will help you create meaningful connections and boost your business visibility.

Choose A Location People Will Remember

When you’re deciding which location to choose, keep the following in mind:

Make it unique. You must pick a location that represents your business and isn’t too generic or obscure. If everyone uses the same geotag for their restaurant in Paris, for example, it is unlikely that any of them will get a lot of attention on Instagram. 

On the other hand, if no one has ever used that geotag before (which is likely), then users will be curious about what’s there especially if they’re looking specifically for businesses nearby.

Make sure it’s easy to find. While it might sound strange to say “be careful with placing too many boundaries on your audience,” there are some places where this holds; otherwise known as “too specific.” 

For example, if someone goes hiking through some trails only accessible by 4×4 vehicles and posts their location using #TrailHeadTrailHeadTrailHeadTrailHead…it might take people a while before they catch up with them! On the other hand:

Geotags Don’t Have To Be Physical Locations

The geotag is a feature on Instagram that allows you to tag the location where your photo was taken. In this article, we’ll discuss what geotags are and how they can help you find local customers on social media.

Geotags don’t have to be physical locations: they can be a place of business, a landmark, or any other place that people would recognize as being in your area. 

But if you want to get as specific as possible about where your photos were taken, taking advantage of the geotagging feature will help you out big time!

For example, let’s say I own an ice cream shop called “Icy Delights.” I might take pictures while serving customers or creating new flavors; these pictures could then be tagged with my store’s name so anyone who sees them knows where they were taken!

Make It Easy For Your Fans To Find And Use Your New Geotag

Make sure your geotag is visible and easy to find.

Use a link in your geotag description. If you want people to use your new geotag, make it easy for them! Include a link in the geotagging area that takes users straight to where they can learn more about it (like a landing page or social media account).

Link directly from the geotag itself. If you’re creating an Instagram profile with custom location filters.

Use them to engage customers by linking directly from within the filter itself this way, every user who uses that filter will be able to see your call-to-action and click through as needed.

Make sure there’s text available for users who don’t have access yet (or don’t know how). Even if some users don’t have access yet, it’s important not only that you provide the ability but also that they understand what’s going on! 

Make sure there is at least one piece of explanatory text available so those who don’t know what this new feature means will still be able to benefit and enjoy using it without frustration or confusion later down the road when everyone else has access to 🙂

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Show Off The Value Of Your Geotag On Instagram Stories And On IGTV

Use the geotag in your Instagram Stories.

Instagram Stories can be a great platform to promote your custom geotag and bring more customers into your local area. You can easily include this information into your stories by adding it as a sticker or by simply typing the name of the city or town where you live in your text. 

Ensure that this information is visible on everyone’s story regardless of where they are located so that people will know to come to visit you when they are nearby.

Use Stories Stickers To Direct People Right To Your Geotag

Use stickers in your Instagram Stories to direct people right to your geotag, and let them know they can find more info on the web and even on other social channels.

You can add a sticker with your exact location like an address or city to let people know exactly where you are.

You can also use a generic “location” sticker that shows up as a pin on an interactive map so that people can learn more about where you’re located without really knowing exactly where that is! 

This is great if you have multiple locations across different cities, states, or countries and want everyone who sees the story to be able to see where the nearest one might be for them (or the closest one for those who aren’t sure). 

Remember: The more information about yourself and the business you provide upfront will help customers feel comfortable engaging with it later down the line!

Create Multiple Custom Geotags For Different Occasions, Holidays, And Events

If you have a business in the same location year-round, it’s important to establish a consistent presence on Instagram by using the same geotag (location) throughout the year. 

However, if you have an event coming up that is relevant to your business such as a holiday or festival you can create a custom geotag specifically for that occasion. 

Also, consider creating additional custom tags for special times of the year such as summertime or New Year’s Eve if those periods are especially busy for your store or service.

Buy Advertising Space With The Sponsored Ads Feature Of Instagram

To get more of your geotags in front of local customers on Instagram, you can buy advertising space with the sponsored ads feature. This is a great way to get your geotag in front of more people because it allows you to target people who are already interested in your business.

For instance, if you own an Italian restaurant and want to advertise a special that only applies at lunch time, then using sponsored ads will allow you to target only those users who have posted photos or videos related to “Italian food” or “lunch specials” within the last seven days. 

By targeting this subset of potential clients, your sponsored ad will be seen by users who are most likely interested in what it has to offer and therefore more likely than others not seeing the ad would be reached out by them via phone calls or emails later on down the road!

Coordinate With Other Local Businesses Or Influencers To Maximize Exposure Of Custom Geotags. Share Them!

One of the easiest ways to maximize your geotags exposure is by coordinating with other local businesses or influencers. If you want to grow and expand your business, it’s important to collaborate with people who share similar interests. 

Consider which businesses are in a similar niche as yours and then reach out and ask if they would be willing to share their custom geotag on social media. This will help you get more eyeballs on each other’s accounts, which means more followers for both parties!

Here are some ideas for hashtags that could be used:

  • #mytown
  • #mycity
  • #mystate
  • #mycountry (this one can be combined with any of the others)

Switch Up The Look Of Your Geotag From Time To Time. It Keeps It Fresh!

To keep you geotag fresh and on-brand, try changing things up from time to time. This can be as simple as switching out the color of your geotag to something neutral or bold. You can also make some minor text changes like font size and shape, or add in a few emojis for fun! 

If you have multiple Instagram accounts for different brands, try using different types of geotags (like a pin vs sticker) so that they don’t look the same.

Finally, if all else fails and you just want something new try swapping out the actual custom geotag entirely! You’ll still get all the benefits of local targeting without having to stick with an old design forever!

Achieving success in Instagram marketing often depends on utilizing the right tools. Explore our curated list of 18 essential Instagram marketing tools to streamline your strategy, enhance your content, and engage your audience more effectively.

Choose An Emoji That Enhances And Coordinates With The Name Of The Tag. Don’t Use An Unrelated Emoji. It Looks Messy

In the name of consistency, be sure your emoji match the tag name. Don’t use an unrelated emoji like a hamburger or flower to represent “fries” or “flowers.” It looks sloppy and confusing, and it doesn’t promote the brand in any meaningful way.

Additionally, choose an emoji that enhances and coordinates with the name of the tag similarly to how you might pick out a theme for your birthday party or holiday decorating scheme: not just any old thing will do! 

Make sure that it also communicates what you want it to say about your product (for example: if you’re selling yoga pants made from recycled materials, maybe go with something green).

Conclusion

Now that you’ve learned how to use custom geotags, try them out. Create a fun, branded geotag for your business or event. Once you’ve created your geotag, make sure to promote it on Instagram Stories and other social media platforms. 

You can also purchase advertising space on Instagram to get more exposure for your new custom geotags. It’s a great way to keep your customers engaged and excited about your brand or event. 

You could even coordinate with local businesses or influencers to increase the reach of your campaign even further!

Further Reading

Explore these additional resources to deepen your understanding of Instagram marketing and geotagging:

How to Add Location on Instagram: Learn how to effectively add location tags to your Instagram posts to boost your local reach and engagement.

Find Local Customers on Instagram: Discover strategies for locating and engaging with local customers on Instagram to drive business growth.

Utilizing Instagram Geotags: Dive into the world of Instagram geotags and explore how they can enhance your content visibility and connect with your target audience.

FAQs

How can I use geotags to attract local customers?

Geotags allow you to tag your content with specific locations, making it easier for local customers to discover your business and offerings.

Do geotags affect the reach of my Instagram posts?

Yes, utilizing geotags can potentially increase the reach of your posts as they appear to users searching for content related to specific locations.

Can I customize the geotags I use?

Absolutely, you can choose locations that are relevant to your business and tailor your geotags to match your target audience’s preferences.

Are there any privacy concerns associated with geotagging?

While geotagging can provide benefits, it’s essential to be mindful of privacy concerns, especially when sharing personal or sensitive locations.

Can I use geotags for Instagram Stories?

Yes, geotags can also be added to your Instagram Stories, allowing you to engage with your audience using location-based content.