what is geotagging

Geotagging is the process of adding geographical identification metadata to various media such as photographs, videos, websites, SMS messages, QR codes, and RSS feeds. This metadata includes geographic coordinates, such as latitude and longitude, which can be used to pinpoint the location of the media on a map. Geotagging can also include other data such as altitude, bearing, and place names. Geotagging can help users find location-specific information from a device, such as images taken near a given location by entering latitude and longitude coordinates into a suitable image search engine. Geotagging-enabled information services can also potentially be used to find location-based news, websites, or other resources. Geotagging can tell users the location of the content of a given picture or other media or the point of view, and conversely on some media platforms show media relevant to a given location. Geotagging is a popular feature on several social media platforms, such as Instagram, where it can be used to engage local followers and increase brand awareness. Geotagging can also be used by retailers and restaurants to see how consumers are engaging with their brands and inform advertising campaigns based on that activity. Geotagging can be done by enabling GPS on a mobile device, and the geographical location data used in geotagging can be derived from the global positioning system.