How To Use Locations On Instagram As A Growth Tool

Have you ever scrolled Instagram and noticed a location above someone’s photo? Maybe it’s a broad location like a city, or maybe it’s a specific area like mid-city or downtown. Or maybe it’s a specific address or business.

You can click on these places and see other users’ photos that have also been taken there.

*Another way to find nearby locations is using the Search feature on Instagram. You’ll see four options near your Search Bar - “Top” “Accounts” “Tags” and “Places.” By selecting “Places,” you can search specific locations (like the name of a business) or Instagram can use your current location to find places near you.

For example, if you search “Downtown Baton Rouge,” then you’ll see the top posts and most recent posts that have been taken in Downtown Baton Rouge.

HOW TO USE LOCATIONS AS A GROWTH TOOL

Brainstorm a list of local places where your target customer would be.

Consider the city, neighborhoods, popular restaurants, bars, gyms - really think about your customer's lifestyle here and where they would be hanging out.

Start checking out these locations on Instagram and see who's tagging these places on their posts. If they're your target customer you can engage with them by liking their posts, commenting or even following them if you enjoy their content.

The point of engaging like this is to get their attention - it's free visibility. I talked more about this in last weeks' video on how to use local hashtags, but it's a way for them to see your name, click on your businesses profile and come check you out.

ALWAYS TAG YOUR LOCATION:

Always tag your location when you post -- even if it’s general, like your city. If you run a business from your home, don’t feel like you need to tag your home address (#SafetyFirst), but if you’re a brick and mortar, then by all means, share your location!

Warning: Don't use a location that you’re NOT at. This looks spammy. For example, if you’re a boutique sharing your new floral spring dress, don’t tag your location at the Starbucks down the street…. because that’s not where you are. When people view photos of Starbucks, they want to see photos of lattes, not necessarily your spring dress. When in doubt, stick to your city!

DOWNLOAD MY FREE INSTAGRAM GUIDE:

If you'd like more help with this, grab my free Instagram guide How To Grow Your Local Following.