Understand what geo-tagging is and how it benefits local SEO.
Module 4 · Lesson 4
Geo-Tagging Photos
Learn how to geo-tag your photos to strengthen your local SEO signals.
Learning Outcomes
Add GPS coordinates to photo EXIF data before uploading to Google Business Profile.
Use free online tools to geo-tag photos without specialist software.
Understand the limits of geo-tagging and combine it with other local SEO strategies.
Key Concepts
What Is Geo-Tagging?
Geo-tagging is the process of embedding GPS coordinates (latitude and longitude) into the metadata (EXIF data) of a photo file. When you geo-tag a photo with your business's exact location coordinates and upload it to your Google Business Profile, you are providing Google with additional location confirmation data. This can help reinforce your business's location signals and contribute to local SEO.
How Geo-Tagging Helps
While the direct ranking impact of photo geo-tagging is debated among SEO professionals, many practitioners report positive results from consistently geo-tagging photos. At minimum, it adds another layer of location data consistency to your profile. Geo-tagged photos also appear in Google Image Search with location information, and photos taken on smartphones often include automatic GPS data if location services are enabled.
How to Geo-Tag Photos
Method 1 — Free online tool: Visit GeoImgr.com or geotag.online. Upload your photo, find your business on the map and click your exact location to embed the coordinates. Download the geo-tagged photo and upload it to your Google Business Profile.
Method 2 — Smartphone: Enable location services for your camera app and take photos at your business premises. The GPS coordinates are automatically embedded in the EXIF data. Transfer these photos directly to your profile for maximum effect.
Method 3 — Desktop software: ExifTool (free, command-line) or GeoSetter (free, Windows) allow batch geo-tagging of multiple photos at once.
Finding Your Coordinates
To find your exact GPS coordinates: open Google Maps, right-click on your business pin (or long-press on mobile) and select "What's here?" The coordinates will appear at the bottom of the screen in decimal format (e.g. -41.2865, 174.7762). Use these exact coordinates when geo-tagging your photos.
Step-by-Step Practice
Find your business GPS coordinates by right-clicking on your business pin in Google Maps.
Select 3–5 photos you plan to upload to your Google Business Profile.
Visit GeoImgr.com and geo-tag each photo with your business coordinates.
Download the geo-tagged versions and upload them to your Google Business Profile.
Enable location services on your smartphone camera so future photos are automatically geo-tagged.
Ian's practical tip: I understand what geo-tagging is and how it supports local SEO. I have geo-tagged at least 5 photos with my business coordinates. I have uploaded the geo-tagged photos to my Google Business Profile. My smartphone camera has location services enabled for future photos.
Practical Activity
Complete and record this task
Always take your business photos at the business premises with your smartphone location services turned on. This automatically geo-tags the photos with the right coordinates without any extra steps. Use this as your standard practice for all future business photography.