Instagram does not allow users to create new locations directly within the app; instead, locations must first be added through the Facebook mobile app due to the platforms’ integrated mapping system. To create a location, open Facebook, tap the Check-In button, and search for your desired place. If it’s not listed, tap the ‘+’ sign to add a new one, enter the location name, select a relevant category (important for businesses), and let GPS pinpoint your position. Once saved, this location will become available on Instagram for tagging in posts. Since Facebook acquired Instagram, many of its features, including location services, rely on Facebook’s infrastructure to enhance user experience and maintain consistency across both platforms.
How to Create a Location on Instagram
Unfortunately, Instagram users can’t create a new location within the Instagram app.
- They have to use the Facebook mobile application to add a new location to Facebook first.
- Then, the location will be visible on Instagram through Facebook’s mapping system.
When Facebook purchased it in 2012, Instagram started to grow strong under its parent company’s vast shadow, Facebook. After the sudden resignation of Kevin Systrom and Mike Krieger in 2018 (names of the App’s founders), the platform was pretty much left alone to Facebook’s administration.
Also, as a divine right, Instagram uses Facebook’s infrastructure for new features and updates. Consequently, the systems are integrated, and we have to use Facebook to add our location.
Steps for Creating a Location
If you experience any problems using the location feature on Instagram, you should contact Instagram Help.
- The first step is easy. You just need to open the Facebook Mobile. Then you need to hit the Check-In button to find your exact location.
- If you could not find your location, we need to go step two for adding our location to Facebook and Instagram.
- In the second step, Facebook will show you the closest locations available. But you need to hit the ‘+’ sign at the bottom for adding a new one. These suggestions come from your phone’s location system or your most visited places.
- When you hit it, Facebook will prompt a message as “Could not find what you are looking for?”. Then, it will suggest adding a new location.
- You can add your location by tapping the blue box from right next to the “Add Your Location Here” text.
In this step, you should choose a category about your location. Categories are extremely crucial for locations because if you are running a brand or business on Instagram, people can find you through these categories. These categories are public, so all Instagram and Facebook users can see it when you select one.
- The final step is quite simple; tap on your phone’s location mark and wait for the GPS to focus as close to 100 feet. Then Facebook will find your exact place and mark that location for you.
- Congrats, you created your location on Instagram and Facebook. Now you can share your best locations on Instagram with your posts.
Why Instagram Uses Facebook’s Location System?
Instagram relies on Facebook’s location system to provide accurate and consistent location-based features across Meta’s platforms. This integration allows Instagram to utilize Facebook’s advanced geolocation data, improving features such as location tagging, local business discovery, and targeted advertising.
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Key Reasons Instagram Uses Facebook’s Location System:
- Unified User Experience: Since Instagram and Facebook are both owned by Meta, sharing location data ensures a seamless experience across both platforms. Users can tag locations in posts and stories, view nearby places, and access location-based recommendations effortlessly.
- Improved Accuracy: Facebook’s location system is highly refined, gathering data from multiple sources such as GPS, Wi-Fi networks, and cellular signals. This enhances Instagram’s ability to provide precise geolocation services.
- Better Ad Targeting: Advertisers benefit from Facebook’s location data to run targeted Instagram ads based on user locations, local trends, and business preferences, increasing ad relevance and effectiveness.
- Business and Local Discoverability: Instagram uses Facebook’s database of places and businesses, allowing users to check in at locations, explore nearby places, and tag businesses more accurately in their posts.
- Privacy and Security Management: Since Facebook has an established location tracking system with customizable privacy settings, Instagram users can control how their location is shared, ensuring better security and compliance with data regulations.
By leveraging Facebook’s location system, Instagram enhances geolocation accuracy, provides a cohesive user experience, and offers businesses more opportunities for local engagement and targeted marketing.
7 Comments
I created a location like this, it is shown in Facebook and it even shows up in location search on Instagram but when I want to either post a story or a feed post, I can not find that location while posting. Is there some time delay to it?
This method of creating a place name on IG via Facebook doesn’t work anymore it seems?
Make sure your Location Feature is on, write the name of the location, and at the bottom of the list you will see a plus sign where you can add a new place.
I found the same. It lets me create and tag on Facebook but it doesn’t show up on IG. Are we missing something?
Hi Jen, did you ever get the new custom IG location to show up on IG? I am having issues with this as well.
Since I travel for a living, I create a new location for Instagram every now and then. You have put it really well.
Once I type in the name of my custom location on Facebook, there’s no option to add it as a new one.
Feature doesn’t seem to be there any more.