This tutorial will show you how to add GPS metadata to the HTML header code on your website or blog and boost your local SEO.
You probably already know your zip code and area code (at least I hope so). But what about the GPS of your house or office?
Global Positioning System (GPS) can be useful for everything from calling 911 on your cell phone to using a navigation system in your car. It can also be used in the HTML header code on your website or blog to geotag your site. Adding this location info to your site can help other systems in cyberspace, and ultimately your customers, find your business. Sound like fun? Let’s get started.
What’s My GPS Location?
Go to a website like WhatsMyGPS and type in your address or zip code. Don’t type in your exact address if you are worried that someone might launch a GPS enabled missile at your house. More on that later.
After you find your latitude and longitude coordinates, take note of them. You’ll need this info in the next step.
Add Your ICBM Address To This HTML Header Code Metadata Template
Next, you need to take your GPS coordinates and type them into the ICBM address in this template. Replace the Salt Lake City, UT data below with your GPS coordinates, state and city info. If coding scares you, then you can try using a GeoTag Generator.
<meta name="geo.region" content="US-UT" /> <meta name="geo.placename" content="Salt Lake City" /> <meta name="geo.position" content="40.75962;-111.886797" /> <meta name="ICBM" content="40.75962, -111.886797" />
NERD NOTE: The acronym ICBM, (intercontinental ballistic missile) address, is a hacker term for your latitude and longitude location.
Add GPS Metadata To Your Website Template
Open the template of any page on your website and copy and paste this code in between the HEAD tags like this. Adding this location info to the meta tags on your site is called geotagging.
In WordPress, you can find your Theme templates under the Appearance menu (Appearance > Theme Editor). You can also use a free WordPress plug-in called Insert Headers And Footers to easily add this metadata to your site.
Ping Your Site
Once you have added the HTML code to your web page(s) and uploaded everything, you should verify the Geo Tags. Use one of these sites to “ping” or check out your site. Just type in your website’s URL and press submit.
- Validator at Geo-Tag.de
- GeoURL at geourl.org
How Geotagging Your Website Helps Local SEO
Have you ever used a search engine like Google and had your web browser ask you for permission to use your current location? Search engines use the location info of your website to help display relevant search results to searching customers. So if you want your business to rank higher in Internet searches and get more foot traffic, then make sure that you geotag your website.
Also, make sure that you’ve created a Google Business Page for your brick and mortar business!
Find Nearby Websites
Finally, let’s see what web sites are near you. After the GeoURL website finishes pinging your web page(s), you should get a status message that looks something like this:
Click on “see your neighbors” to see a list of the web sites and blogs located around you. Here’s a list of cyber-neighbors in and around MethodShop‘s headquarters in Hoboken, New Jersey.
NERD NOTE: Global Positioning System (GPS), is a satellite navigation system used for determining one’s precise location and providing a highly accurate time reference almost anywhere on Earth or in Earth orbit.
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