The Ultimate Guide to Using Instagram Geotags to Skyrocket Your Following and Engagement in 2024

Are you harnessing the full power of Instagram geotags to grow your business? If not, you‘re missing out on a major opportunity to expand your reach, build your community, and drive more foot traffic and sales.

In 2023, posts with a location tag averaged 85% higher engagement than posts without one, according to a study by Socialbakers. Geotagged stories also had a 35% higher completion rate. And those numbers are only projected to rise as Instagram continues to prioritize location-based content in 2024.

In this comprehensive guide, we‘ll dive into everything you need to know to master Instagram geotags this year. We‘ll cover:

What geotags are and why they‘re critical for growth
How to add geotags to your posts and stories
Step-by-step guide to creating a custom geotag for your business
7 powerful strategies to leverage geotags for maximum engagement
Success stories and examples to inspire your own geotag campaigns

By the end of this article, you‘ll have a proven roadmap for using geotags to skyrocket your following, create a buzz around your brand, and become the go-to business in your area on Instagram.

What Are Instagram Geotags and Why Do They Matter for Your Business?

Let‘s start with the basics. An Instagram geotag is a location tag that you can add to your feed posts, stories, reels, and guides. It labels your content with a specific location, whether that‘s a country, city, neighborhood, business, or landmark.

When users tap on your geotag, they‘re taken to a dedicated location page that showcases all public posts and stories with the same tag. It also displays a map of the location and related places.

Here‘s why geotags are so valuable for businesses looking to grow on Instagram:

Increased discoverability: Geotags make your content more discoverable to users searching for or browsing content from your location. Your posts can appear on the location page, in search results, and on the Explore page.
Local reach: If you‘re a brick-and-mortar business, geotagging your location helps you build brand awareness and attract followers and customers in your area. It‘s a targeted way to reach people near you.
User-generated content: Customers can also add your geotag to their own posts when they visit your business or use your products. This exposes your brand to their audiences and provides authentic social proof. You can easily find and repost their content to your own profile.
Higher engagement: Geotagged posts consistently outperform non-geotagged posts in terms of likes, comments, and shares. Location tags prompt users to interact with and share your content with their communities.
Competitive advantage: Many businesses overlook or underuse geotags in their social media strategy. Consistently tagging your location can help you stand out from competitors and establish your brand as a leader in your market.

In short, geotags are an essential tool for businesses of all sizes that want to build a strong local presence, engaged community, and steady stream of customers from Instagram. And they‘re incredibly easy to implement.

How to Add Geotags to Your Instagram Posts and Stories

Ready to start tagging? Follow these quick steps to add a geotag to your next Instagram post:

Create a new feed post and add your photo or video as usual.
Apply any filters or editing effects you want.
On the New Post page, tap "Add Location" under your username.
In the search bar, type the name of your desired location. You can also browse suggested locations nearby.
Tap the correct location to select it.
Finish your caption, hashtags, and other settings, then tap "Share" to publish your post.

Here‘s how it looks:

[Include screenshot of adding geotag to post]

Adding geotags to your stories is just as simple:

Take or upload a photo or video to your story.
Tap the sticker icon in the top right corner of the screen.
Choose the "Location" sticker from the options.
Search for your location in the search bar and tap to select it.
Place the location sticker where you want it on your story and tap "Send To >" to publish.

Like so:

[Include screenshot of adding geotag sticker to story]

That‘s all there is to it! Once you get in the habit of adding geotags, it will become second nature.

Pro tip: Use geotags everywhere you can

To maximize the visibility of your posts, add geotags to as much content as possible, including regular feed posts, stories, reels, Instagram Videos, and guides. Be consistent with tagging the same location so it‘s easy for users to find all your content.

How to Create a Custom Instagram Geotag for Your Business

Sometimes the location you want to tag doesn‘t exist in Instagram‘s database yet. This is common for new businesses, custom event venues, or unique landmarks. But don‘t worry – it‘s easy to create your own custom geotag right from the Instagram app. Here‘s how:

Open the Instagram app and tap the (+) icon to create a new post.
Select "Add Location" and search for your business or location name.
If it doesn‘t appear, tap "Create a New Location" at the top of the search results.
Enter your location name, address, and category (e.g. coffee shop, park, etc.).
Tap "Done" to save your geotag.

[Include screenshots of custom geotag creation process]

Your geotag will now be available to select on posts and stories moving forward. Once your geotag has been used on 5 public posts, it will also show up in search results and on the Explore page.

You can further customize your geotag by claiming your location page on Instagram. This allows you to:

Update your business information, hours, and contact info
Access location insights and analytics
Turn on "Show on Profile" to display a clickable location link
Reply to posts and stories that use your geotag
Report posts that misuse or spam your location

To claim your location page, go to your geotag, tap the three dots in the top right, and select "Claim Location." Follow the prompts to verify your business.

7 Powerful Strategies to Leverage Instagram Geotags for Maximum Engagement

Now that you know the mechanics of geotagging, let‘s explore some specific ways you can use location tags in your Instagram marketing. Here are our top 7 tips and tactics for 2024:

1. Geotag every post and story featuring your business

The impact of geotags is cumulative, so consistency is crucial. Make it a habit to tag your primary business location on all content showcasing your store, products, services, or team.

This builds familiarity and authority for your geotag. When users search your location, they‘ll see a rich library of content that paints a picture of your brand.

2. Launch a location-based contest or giveaway

Contests are one of the most effective ways to encourage user-generated content (UGC) and geotag usage from your customers and followers. To host a contest:

Choose a campaign hashtag and your geotag as the entry requirements
Ask users to post a photo or video at your location using the hashtag and geotag
Select a random winner to receive a prize like a gift card or free product
Repost entries to your stories throughout the contest to spotlight participants

Be sure to clearly state the contest rules and guidelines in your call-to-post. You can further incentivize entries by offering bonus entries for users who tag friends in the comments.

3. Engage with public posts and stories that tag your location

Once your geotag starts gaining traction, users will organically tag your business in their own content. Make it a daily habit to check your geotag feed and engage with these posts by:

Liking the post to show appreciation
Leaving a personalized comment thanking the user
Reposting the content to your stories (and tagging the original creator)
Offering a special discount code or free gift as a surprise and delight

These gestures build goodwill and loyalty with customers and encourage them to post about your business again in the future.

According to Sprout Social, 70% of users feel more connected to brands that engage with their tagged content. And sending a DM to someone who tagged your business can increase their likelihood of purchasing from you again by 85%.

4. Collaborate with local influencers and brand ambassadors

Partnering with influencers and ambassadors in your area is a great way to spread awareness of your geotag and reach untapped local audiences. To find potential partners:

Search your geotag, branded hashtag, or relevant keywords
Look for accounts with strong engagement and alignment with your brand
Check their audience demographics to verify they have a local following

Once you‘ve found a good fit, reach out via DM or email to propose a collaboration. You might offer:

Free products or services for them to review
An exclusive discount code for their followers
Sponsored content creation at your business or event
Long-term ambassador contract for recurring promotion

Give partners creative freedom to showcase your business authentically and always have them tag your location for maximum exposure.

5. Use geotags and hashtags together for a double boost

For the ultimate discoverability combo, pair your geotag with relevant hashtags on every post. This helps you show up in search results and Explore pages for both the location and hashtag topics.

Some hashtag ideas to combine with your geotag:

Your city or neighborhood name (e.g. #SeattleEats, #AustinTX)
Local phrase or slang (e.g. #ViewFromTheYay)
Niche or industry keywords (e.g. #CoffeeLover, #VeganMiami)
Branded hashtags (e.g. #NikeTown, #ShareACoke)

Instagram allows up to 30 hashtags per post, so don‘t be shy! Experiment with different hashtag groupings and track your results to find top performers.

6. Create a geotag highlight on your profile

Highlights are the perfect place to showcase your top geotagged stories and UGC. This makes it easy for profile visitors to see all your location-specific content in one place.

Create a dedicated highlight for your geotag and add new posts and stories to it regularly. Use an eye-catching title and icon that incorporates your business name or location.

Check out how @alfredcoffee features their geotag highlight front and center:

[Include screenshot of Alfred Coffee geotag highlight]

7. Promote your geotag everywhere

Finally, spread the word about your geotag to encourage posts from customers. The more people use it, the more discoverable it becomes! Some ideas:

Include your geotag in your Instagram bio (you can make it clickable once you claim your location page)
Verbally ask customers to tag your business if they post during their visit
Put up signage around your store promoting your geotag and branded hashtag
Run a "tag us to be featured" promotion where you repost customer posts on your feed or stories
Send an email or push notification inviting your audience to tag your location for a chance to win a prize

Offline promotion ideas:

Add your Instagram handle and geotag to receipts, packaging, and shopping bags
Mention your geotag in local advertisements like benches, billboards, or flyers
Partner with neighboring businesses to cross-promote each other‘s geotags

The key is making your geotag visible and compelling to use. Give customers a clear reason to tag you, whether it‘s potential exposure on your profile, a discount or freebie, or just a fun photo-op.

Geotag Success Stories to Inspire Your Strategy

Need some inspiration for your own geotag campaigns? These businesses are knocking it out of the park:

Sugar Factory: This candy store and cafe has custom geotags for each of its 25+ locations across the US. It frequently reposts customer stories and photos to its main feed, tagging the respective location. Sugar Factory‘s Las Vegas geotag alone has over 500K public posts!
Color Factory: This interactive art exhibit uses geotags to generate buzz for its rotating installations. Each location tag features bright, eye-catching user content that builds excitement. Color Factory‘s New York location racked up over 100K posts in just 3 months using geotag UGC.
The Clubhouse: This coworking space in Boulder, Colorado, asks members to compete for "Mayor" of its geotag by posting the most stories from the space each week. The winner gets bragging rights plus $20 off their next month‘s membership fee. This gamification increased geotag usage by 80%.

As you can see, no matter your industry or size, geotags can be a game-changer for growing your Instagram community and customer base.

Take Your Instagram Local Strategy to New Heights in 2024

Whew, that was a lot of information! But now you‘re fully equipped to become an Instagram geotag master. To recap, here are the key takeaways for smarter geotagging in 2024:

Geotag every post, story, and reel showcasing your business
Create a custom location tag for your business in the Instagram app
Launch geotag contests and challenges to incentivize customer posts
Engage with all posts that tag your location to build loyalty
Partner with local influencers to amplify your geotag‘s reach
Use geotags in tandem with hashtags for maximum impact
Feature geotag highlights on your profile to showcase location content
Promote your geotag everywhere, online and off

With a solid geotag strategy, you‘ll be well on your way to becoming a local icon on Instagram this year. So start tagging and watch your growth soar!

Looking for more tips to level up your Instagram? Check out these helpful guides:

Happy geotagging!