How to Tag a Location on Instagram

Adding a location tag to your Instagram post is one of the simplest and most effective ways to boost its visibility and reach a more targeted audience. This guide breaks down exactly how to tag locations on Feed posts, Stories, and even your profile, while also covering pro tips for creating custom locations and using geotags to grow your brand.

Why Should You Tag a Location on Instagram?

Before we get into the "how," let's quickly cover the "why." You might see the "Add Location" button as just another optional step, but it's a powerful tool with some serious benefits for creators, brands, and casual posters alike. Location tagging does more than just show your followers where you are, it makes your content discoverable.

When you add a location tag, your post or Story doesn't just show up on your followers' feeds. It also gets added to that location's specific page on Instagram. Anyone who searches for that location or clicks on that geotag from another post can see your content. This opens you up to a much wider audience beyond your existing followers.

Here are the key advantages of using location tags:

• Increase Discoverability and Reach: People often search for locations on Instagram to see what's happening at a specific place, check out a restaurant they want to try, or get travel ideas. By tagging your location, you put your content right in front of these highly engaged users.
• Connect with a Local Community: For small businesses, artists, and event organizers, local reach is everything. Tagging your city, neighborhood, or specific business location can help you connect with people right in your area who are most likely to become customers or attendees.
• Get More Engagement: Posts with a tagged location tend to receive higher engagement than those without one. They provide more context, making your content feel more authentic and relatable, which often encourages more likes and comments.
• Organize Your Content: Location tags act as a visual diary. You can look back at your own posts from a particular place, and so can your followers. This helps in telling a more cohesive travel story or documenting your experiences at a favorite local spot.

How to Tag a Location on an Instagram Feed Post

Adding a location to your standard feed post (a photo, carousel, or video) is a straightforward process you can do right before publishing. Here's a step-by-step breakdown.

Step 1: Create Your Post as Usual

Start by tapping the plus icon [+] at the bottom of your screen to create a new post. Select the photo or video you want to share from your gallery and tap "Next." Apply any filters or edits you'd like, and once you're satisfied with how your content looks, tap "Next" again to move to the final screen.

Step 2: Tap on 'Add Location'

On the final screen where you write your caption and tag people, you'll see an option that says "Add Location." It's usually located right below the option to tag people. Tap on it.

Step 3: Find and Select Your Location

Instagram will now suggest nearby locations based on your phone's GPS data. If you see the location you want in the list of suggestions, just tap on it.

If the correct spot isn't immediately visible, you can use the search bar at the top to type in the name of the place. You can search for all kinds of locations:

• Specific Venues: Restaurants, cafes, shops, museums, parks, hotels, etc. (e.g., "The Friendly Toast")
• Neighborhoods: Such as "SoHo, Manhattan" or "Shoreditch."
• Cities and Towns: If you want a broader tag (e.g., "Austin, Texas").
• Landmarks: Like "Eiffel Tower" or "Grand Canyon National Park."

Once you've found the right one, select it from the list. The location name will now appear on the share screen, confirming it has been added.

Step 4: Share Your Post

With your location tagged, your caption written, and other accounts tagged, you're ready to go. Just hit the "Share" button, and your post will go live with the location featured right under your username.

How to Add a Location Sticker to an Instagram Story

The process for Stories is a bit different, as it uses interactive stickers. Location stickers not only show where you are but also encourage viewers to tap on them and explore other content from that same location.

Step 1: Create Your Story

Open the Instagram Story camera by swiping right from your main feed or tapping your profile picture with the plus icon. Take a photo or video, or swipe up to choose one from your gallery.

Step 2: Open the Sticker Tray

Once your content is on the screen, tap the sticker icon at the top (it looks like a square smiley face). This will open the sticker tray where you can find polls, quizzes, GIFs, and other interactive elements.

Step 3: Select the 'Location' Sticker

Find the sticker labeled "Location" and tap on it. Just like with feed posts, Instagram will suggest a list of nearby places. You can either choose one from the list or use the search bar to find a specific location.

Step 4: Customize and Place the Sticker

After selecting your location, a sticker with the location's name will appear on your Story. You're not stuck with the default look! You can:

• Change the Color: Tap the sticker to cycle through different background and text color options (usually a mix of white, transparent, and a rainbow gradient).
• Resize it: Use two fingers to pinch and zoom to make the sticker bigger or smaller.
• Rotate it: Use two fingers to twist the sticker to any angle.
• Position it: Drag the sticker anywhere you want on the screen.

Step 5: Share Your Story

Once you've placed and styled your sticker to your liking, finish adding any other text, drawings, or GIFs. Then, tap "Your Story" to share it with your followers.

What If My Location Doesn't Exist? How to Create a Custom Location

Sometimes, the place you want to tag isn't available on Instagram's list. This often happens with new businesses, a specific event venue, or even your own office. The good news is you can create your own custom location, but you have to do it through Facebook, since Meta uses Facebook's location database for Instagram.

Here's how to do it:

1. Login to the Facebook App: You must do this on the Facebook mobile app, not the desktop website.
2. Start Creating a Post: Go to create a new post by tapping "What's on your mind?".
3. Select 'Check In': From the list of options at the bottom, select the "Check In" feature.
4. Search for Your Location: Use the search bar to type the name of your desired location. Let it search and scroll to the bottom of the results. If your location truly doesn't exist, you'll see an option like "Add [Your Location Name]" at the bottom of the check-in list.
5. Add Your New Location Details: After tapping "Add," Facebook will ask you to choose a category (e.g., "Restaurant," "Event Venue," "Office") and provide other physical address details. Fill this out as accurately as possible. Tapping "Create" will add your new location to Facebook's database.
6. Test it on Instagram: There might be a short delay, but you should now be able to search for and find your newly created location when adding a geotag on Instagram.

Making a custom location is particularly useful for new businesses that want to build a brand presence and encourage user-generated content right from the start.

Best Practices for Using Instagram Location Tags

Just knowing how to tag a location is one thing, knowing how to use them strategically is another. Here are a few tips to get the most out of your geotags:

1. Be Specific When It Matters

Instead of tagging "New York City," tag the specific cafe, park, or store you're in. This targets a niche audience that's specifically interested in that venue. For example, people looking for coffee shops in Brooklyn are more likely to engage with a post tagged at "Devocion" than one tagged broadly as "Brooklyn." This is also great for giving a shoutout to a small business you love.

2. Go Broad for General Appeal

Sometimes, a wider location tag is better. If you're a travel blogger posting a scenic sunset shot, tagging the name of the state or national park can attract a broader audience interested in that general region, not just the exact lookout point you were standing at.

3. Combine Location Tags with Relevant Hashtags

Multiply your discovery potential by using location tags in tandem with a smart hashtag strategy. If you're posting from a farmers market in Santa Monica, tag the "Santa Monica Farmers Market" as your location and also use hashtags like #SantaMonicaLiving, #LAFoodie, and #FarmersMarketFinds. This lets people discover your content through multiple paths.

4. Engage with Other Posts from That Location

Click on the location you just tagged in your own post. This will take you to the location's page, where you can see all the top and recent public posts from there. Spend a few minutes liking and commenting on other peoples' posts from the same place. It's a great organic way to build community and get more eyes on your profile.

Final Thoughts

Tagging your location on Instagram is a simple but powerful habit that can significantly increase your reach, connect you with a local audience, and bring more context to your content. From Feed posts to Stories, taking that extra second to add a location is one of the smartest organic growth tactics available on the platform.

When we're outlining our content strategy, knowing the "where" is just as important as the what and when. That's why we plan everything on a visual calendar in Postbase, so we can see all of our upcoming Feed posts, Reels, and Stories across every platform at a glance. It helps us ensure we're hitting different local markets and keeps our content strategy organized without piles of spreadsheets, allowing us to focus more on creating and less on scheduling chaos.