What is geotagging?
Geotagging is the process of appending geographic coordinates called metadata to media, based on the location of a mobile device. Geotags can be applied to photos, videos, websites, text messages, and QR codes, and could also include timestamps or other contextual information.
Why do you need to Geotag?
Adding a Geotag to your media, such as the images you use on your website or your digital marketing posts, will improve the search engine ranking for your business because it helps search engines determine the exact geographical location of your business, thus helping in local SEO. With the help of geotagging, you can easily let Google know where exactly on the earth your business serves customers and it will be able to show your business to a specific town or city or location. Therefore, geotagging has become a critical part of local SEO for service businesses such as estate and letting agents.
How to do it?
- First and foremost you should make sure that your business listings on search engines are correctly written. Check our blog HERE on making sure your NAP is correct and also get your Google Place and Google Business profile active and current.
- We use a fabulous tool called GeoImgr and for the purposes of this article we will show our workings on this platform, but there are other options available, the process should be very similar.
- Open your Geotag platform and it should something like this: A place to upload your media and a map of the world.
- Upload your image or bulk upload your images – or drag and drop them – into the blue box on the right-hand side. Then search for your business listing on the left-hand side. Alternatively, you can search for a place where you are targeting the audience for this image.
- Add your keywords: In this instance mine are – property industry, letting agents, estate agents, United Kingdom, digital marketing, websites.
- Add your description / alt(ernative) text: I have used this – Geotag your property images on your website and digital marketing platforms – as I will be using this image on this very blog post.
- Finally click the WRITE EXIF TAGS box and then DOWNLOAD your image ready to use.
Success rates of geotagged media
As website builders and digital marketing specialists for estate and letting agents in the UK, we have been using this Goetagging method for over 4 years now, and we would never look back. The difference in search engine placement – page one of Google for instance – and, consequently, the increased levels of traffic to our client websites and eyes on their social media posts have blown our minds (and that of our clients!!).
It does stand to reason that now search engines can scan for keywords and phrases in your written content AND your images and media files too, which means you are bound to be seen more and pushed to the top of the list.
Stick with it
This is a time-consuming exercise and the majority of website builders and social media managers working in the property industry are very unlikely to do this for you. Of course, we are the exception, but that’s why we are a bespoke media agency (amongst other reasons), so try it yourself instead. Get a geotag licence for your office, it is not expensive considering the results you will reap, and try geotagging all of your property images before you upload them to your property software system, property portal, website or social media platforms.
Give Google a few wee
ks to pick up the increased information, and then carry out some ‘incognito’ searches for your keywords or key phrases, and see if your images or media are now showing in the search results. Let us know how you get on and remember, the more you do, the more exposure you will have for your local estate or letting agency business.
Good luck tagging!
Jane Gardner
I work all over the UK with various business owners, dedicating my creative and expert property knowledge from 35 years in the industry. I am a Level 4 ARLA Propertymark examiner, I sit on the board of Agents Giving Charity and I love everything property related! I can be contacted on 01923 627777 or by email to jane@social-angels.co.uk
