How to Tag a Location on a Facebook Story

Tagging a location on your Facebook Story is one of the fastest ways to boost your reach, connect with a local audience, and give your content valuable context. This guide will walk you through the simple step-by-step process and share some expert strategies to help you get the most out of every tag, whether you're a small business owner, a content creator, or just sharing updates with friends.

Why You Should Always Tag a Location in Your Facebook Story

Adding a location sticker might seem like a small step, but it delivers massive benefits for your content's visibility and engagement. It transforms a simple photo or video into a discoverable piece of content linked to a real-world place. Here’s why it's a non-negotiable for anyone looking to grow their presence on Facebook.

1. Boosts Your Discoverability

When you tag a location, your story can appear in two important places: the public story for that specific location and on the geographic "Explore" pages. This means people who aren't your followers - but are actively searching for or browsing content from that cafe, park, neighborhood, or city - can see your post. For example, if you tag "Brooklyn Bridge Park" in your Story, a tourist planning a trip to New York might see it while looking at content from that location. It’s an organic way to get a lot of new eyes on your content.

2. Drives Higher Engagement

Content grounded in a real place feels more authentic and relatable. Tagging your location gives your followers context, making them feel like they're part of your experience. A picture of a latte is just a picture, but a picture of a latte tagged at "The Morning Grind Cafe" is an actionable recommendation. It encourages comments like, "I love that place!" or "I'll have to check it out!" - creating conversations that a generic post wouldn't.

3. Perfect for Local Businesses and Events

If you have a brick-and-mortar store, run an event, or want to promote a physical space, the location tag is your best friend. Every time you post a story from your location, you're creating another entry point for potential customers to find you. When they tap on the location, they can navigate to your address or see your Facebook Page. Better yet, encouraging customers to tag your business in their own Stories creates powerful user-generated content (UGC) that acts as authentic social proof.

4. Fosters a Sense of Community

Tagging locations helps you connect with the people and brands around you. When you tag another local business, a landmark, or a community space, you're showing support and building connections within your community. This kind of digital networking can lead to real-world collaborations and partnerships, strengthening your local brand presence.

How to Tag a Location on a Facebook Story: A Step-by-Step Guide

Adding a location is incredibly simple and takes just a few taps. Here’s exactly how to do it.

1. Open the Facebook app and create a new Story. On your main feed, tap the "+" icon that says "Create story" at the top left of the screen.
2. Choose or capture your media. You can take a new photo or video, or you can select one from your phone’s camera roll. You can also create a text-based Story with a colored background.
3. Access the Stickers menu. Once your photo or video is ready, look for the sticker icon in the top right-hand menu. It usually looks like a smiley face inside a square. Tap it.
4. Select the "Location" sticker. A menu will pop up with dozens of interactive stickers. Find and tap the one labeled "Location." It typically features a map pin icon.
5. Choose your location. Facebook will immediately suggest a list of nearby places based on your phone's GPS data.
   • If you see the location you want in the list, just tap on it.
   • If not, use the search bar at the top to type in the name of the place. You can search for businesses, parks, landmarks, cities, or even entire countries.
6. Customize and place the sticker. After you've selected a location, the sticker will appear on your story. Now you can make it your own:
   • Reposition it: Press and hold the sticker to drag it anywhere you want on the screen.
   • Resize it: Use two fingers to pinch inward or outward to make it smaller or larger.
   • Rotate it: Use two fingers and twist to angle the sticker.
   • Change the style: Some location stickers have different color or style options. Simply tap the sticker to cycle through the available designs (e.g., minimalist white, semi-transparent black, or a more colorful gradient).
7. Publish your Story. Once you're happy with the placement and look, go ahead and tap the "Share" button at the bottom right. Your story is now live with your tagged location!

Advanced Strategies for Using Location Tags

Now that you know the basics, let's cover some more advanced tactics that separate casual posters from seasoned social media pros.

Combine Stickers for Maximum Impact

Don't just use the location sticker alone. Combine it with other interactive Facebook Story features to create a highly engaging post. Here are a few ideas:

• Location + Poll: "Checking out the new 'City Books' store! [Location Sticker]. What should I read next? [Poll Sticker: Fantasy / Sci-Fi]"
• Location + Quiz: "At 'The National History Museum' [Location Sticker]. Fun fact quiz: When was this museum founded? [Quiz Sticker: 1881 / 1910 / 1945]"
• Location + Mention: Tag a friend or another brand you are with. "Finally trying 'Frost Gelato' [Location Sticker] with [@jane_doe]! You were right, it's incredible. [Mention Sticker]"

How to Create a Custom Location

What if your business is brand new or you're hosting an event at a venue that doesn't exist on Facebook yet? You can create your own custom location.

It's important to know that you can't create a location directly from the Story sticker menu. You have to do it through a regular Facebook check-in post first:

1. Start creating a regular status update on your Facebook profile or page.
2. Tap the "Check in" option (the red map pin icon).
3. Start typing the name of an existing nearby business so that the Facebook location service list for adding any new custom check-in location can become available at the bottom where it says “add a new location” here so you can tap its “+” plus button. Tap the "+ Add a new place" option at the bottom.
4. When your location doesn't appear, scroll to the bottom of the list and you should see an "Add [Your Custom Location Name]" option.
5. Tap to add it. You will be asked to choose a category (e.g., Home, Event, Just for Fun) and confirm the physical address.
6. Finish your check-in post and publish it.

Once you’ve created it, your new custom location will be available for you (and others) to search for and use in Facebook Stories.

Think Broad and Specific

You’re not limited to one way of tagging. Think about your goals. If you're a local bakery trying to attract nearby foot traffic, tagging your specific business name ("The Sweet Spot Bakery") is best. But if you’re a travel blogger trying to build a wider audience interested in your trip, you might benefit more from tagging a broader location like "Paris, France" or a famous landmark like "Eiffel Tower" which have massive audiences viewing their location stories.

Troubleshooting: What to Do When It’s Not Working

Sometimes you might run into an issue. Here are some of the most common problems and their quick fixes.

Problem: I Can't Find The "Location" Sticker

If the sticker option isn't appearing, the most likely cause is an outdated app. Head to the Apple App Store or Google Play Store and check if there's an update available for the Facebook app. Updating usually solves the issue.

Problem: My Location Isn't Showing Up in the Search

First, double-check your spelling. If it's still not there, the location might not be formally registered on Facebook. If it's your business, you can create it using the "custom location" steps outlined above. If it's another venue, you might need to try a broader search, like the street or neighborhood it's in.

Problem: The Suggested Locations are Wrong

This is almost always a GPS or location services issue.

• Check Your Phone's Settings: Go into your phone’s main settings, find "Location Services," and make sure it’s turned on for the Facebook app.
• Get a Better Signal: If you're indoors with a weak signal, your phone might have trouble getting an accurate GPS lock. Try stepping outside for a moment or connecting to Wi-Fi.

Final Thoughts

Incorporating location tags into your Facebook Stories is a simple, effective move that requires almost no extra effort but delivers real results. It widens your reach, provides powerful context, and bridges the gap between your digital content and real-world places, making your brand more discoverable and your stories more engaging for your audience.

We know that consistently creating amazing Stories - and Reels, and videos - can feel overwhelming. Planning what to post and when, especially across multiple platforms, is a huge challenge. That’s why we built Postbase from the ground up for today's social reality. Our visual content calendar helps you plan all your posts in one place, so you can see your entire strategy at a glance and schedule everything, including your short-form videos and Stories, without pulling your hair out. It keeps your content plan organized and frees you up to focus on creativity, not chaos.