How to Tag a Location on a Facebook Photo

Adding a location to your Facebook photo is more than just a footnote, it's a powerful way to connect with a local audience, tell a richer story, and make your content more discoverable. Whether you're a business showing off your new storefront or a creator sharing your travels, a location tag adds valuable context that captions alone can't capture. This guide will walk you through exactly how to add locations to new photos, edit them on old ones, and even create custom locations for your brand.

Why Does Adding a Location on Facebook Even Matter?

You might think of location tagging - or "checking in" - as a simple feature, but it’s a small detail with a big impact. When you tag a location, you’re not just saying where you are, you’re tapping into a powerful set of social signals that Facebook’s algorithm loves. Here’s what it does for your content.

The 'Where' Tells a Richer Story

A photo of a great cup of coffee is nice. A photo of a great cup of coffee from "The Morning Grind Cafe" in downtown Austin, TX, is a story. It grounds your content in the real world, making it more relatable and engaging. For travelers, artists, and lifestyle creators, the location is often as important as the subject of the photo itself, adding a layer of atmosphere and context that invites followers into your experience.

It Dramatically Boosts Discoverability

This is the big one for businesses and marketers. When you tag a specific location, your post becomes searchable by that location. Anyone on Facebook who searches for that cafe, park, city, or storefront could potentially see your photo. People also love to browse photos taken at a particular hotspot, and if you've tagged it, you show up in that collection. It’s essentially free, hyper-targeted advertising to an audience that is already interested in that specific place.

It Increases Engagement with a Local Audience

People feel a sense of connection to their local spots. Tagging a popular local business or landmark can attract comments and likes from others in the community. Businesses benefit by creating a stream of user-generated content associated with their physical address. Encouraging customers to "check in" at your store creates authentic social proof and turns happy clients into organic brand ambassadors.

How to Add a Location to a New Facebook Post

Adding a location as you upload a new photo is straightforward. The process is slightly different depending on whether you're on a desktop computer or your mobile device.

On a Desktop Computer:

1. Navigate to your Facebook News Feed or profile and click the "What's on your mind, [Your Name]?" box to create a new post.
2. Click the "Photo/Video" icon to choose the image you want to upload from your computer.
3. Once your photo is uploaded and visible in the post composer, look for the row of icons at the bottom of the composer window. Click the gray location pin icon, which says “Check in."
4. A search box will appear with the text "Where are you?" Start typing the name of the location (e.g., a city, a business, a park). Facebook will suggest locations as you type.
5. Select the correct location from the list. You'll see it appear above your photo with a small map pin icon next to it, like "at Central Park."
6. Add your caption, tag any people if you wish, and click "Post" to share it with the world.

On a Mobile Device (iOS or Android):

1. Open the Facebook app and tap the "What's on your mind?" box at the top of your News Feed.
2. Tap "Photo/Video" and select the photo(s) from your phone’s gallery. Tap "Next."
3. On the post creation screen, below your name and above the photo preview, you'll see a series of options. Tap the one that says “Check in." You'll recognize it by the red location pin icon.
4. If you have location services enabled for Facebook, the app will immediately suggest nearby places. You can either choose one from the list or use the search bar at the top to find a specific location.
5. Tap the desired location. It will now appear on your post draft.
6. Finish writing your caption and tap "Post" to publish.

Adding or Changing a Location on an Existing Photo

Did you forget to add a location? Or maybe you tagged the wrong one? No problem. Facebook makes it easy to go back and add or edit the location on a photo you’ve already posted.

On a Desktop Computer:

1. Go to your profile and find the photo post you want to edit.
2. Click the three-dot menu (...) in the top-right corner of the post.
3. From the dropdown menu, select "Edit post."
4. The post composer window will open again. In the bottom-left of the window, click the "Check in" icon (the gray location pin).
5. Search for and select the correct location. If you're changing an existing one, first click the "x" on the old location tag to remove it, then add the new one.
6. Click "Save" to apply the changes.

On a Mobile Device (iOS or Android):

1. Open the Facebook app, navigate to your profile, and find the post you want to update.
2. Tap the three-dot menu (...) in the top-right of the post.
3. In the menu that appears, tap "Edit post."
4. Your original post will open up for editing. Look for the current location tag (or where it would be) and tap it. It may say something like "at City Hall" or prompt you to “Check in."
5. This takes you back to the location search screen. You can now search for and select the new location or add one if it was missing.
6. Tap "Save" in the top-right corner. The post will update with the new location information.

Advanced Tip: How to Create a Custom Location

What happens when you’re at a new pop-up shop, an outdoor event, or your own brand-new business that doesn’t exist in Facebook's database yet? You can create it yourself. Note that this functionality is only available on the Facebook mobile app.

1. Start creating a new post in the Facebook mobile app and tap the “Check in” option.
2. In the search box, type the exact name of your new, custom location. Make sure to check for typos!
3. Facebook will show you results based on your search. If your location doesn't appear, scroll all the way to the bottom of the list.
4. You should see a blue button with a plus sign that says "Add [Your Custom Location Name]." Tap it.
5. You'll be asked to choose a category for your location (e.g., Home, Restaurant, Event) and provide a physical address. Be as accurate as possible.
6. Tap "Save" or "Create" to finish. Your new location will now be added to your post and will be available for others to check into in the future.

Best Practices for Using Location Tags

Just because you can add a location doesn’t mean any tag will do. To use this feature effectively for marketing or brand building, keep these strategies in mind:

• Be Specific and Accurate: Tagging the exact coffee shop is far more valuable than just tagging the city. Specificity helps users discover the exact places you’re highlighting. Likewise, don't tag a popular location just to get views if your photo isn’t actually from there, it annoys users and can hurt your credibility.
• Consistency is Key for Businesses: If you are a physical business, make sure you and your team use the exact same location tag every time. This consolidates all your tagged posts into one place, creating a powerful portfolio of content for potential customers to browse.
• Engage with Event and Venue Locations: If you’re at a concert, conference, or farmer's market, tag the event's official location page. This inserts you directly into the conversation happening around that event, connecting you with other attendees and organizers.
• Use Locations to Tell a Broader Story: For a marketing campaign, you can use location tags to create a narrative. A clothing brand could post photos from different scenic parks to highlight an "outdoor adventure" collection, with each location tag contributing to the overall theme.

Final Thoughts

Tagging a location on your Facebook photos is a simple action that delivers oversized results for engagement and discoverability. It's an easy way to add context to your posts, connect with local communities, and give your content a longer shelf life in location-based searches.

Mastering the small details, like consistently tagging your locations, is part of building a great social presence, but we know it’s just one piece of the puzzle. At Postbase, we built our tool to help you manage all those pieces without the headache. Our visual calendar lets you plan, schedule, and get a bird's-eye view of your content strategy across every platform, so you can focus on creating great content instead of juggling countless tabs and apps.