Geotagging photos for Google Business Profiles is a waste of time – and worse, it can actually damage local rankings. Research shows this SEO myth consistently backfires, especially for businesses targeting multiple locations. Google strips EXIF metadata anyway, making the whole exercise pointless. A ten-week study of lawn care companies proved geotagging either hurt rankings or did nothing at all. The real story behind this misguided practice goes deeper than most realize.

While businesses scramble to find any possible edge in local search rankings, the practice of geotagging photos remains a contentious topic. Many local businesses still cling to the belief that adding GPS coordinates to their photos’ EXIF data will enhance their visibility. Spoiler alert: it might actually do more harm than good.

Recent studies have delivered some cold, hard truth about geotagging. Sure, there’s a slight uptick in rankings for “near me” searches, but here’s the kicker – businesses actually saw their rankings drop for specific city-name queries. Even worse, when businesses tried targeting different towns with geotagged photos, their rankings at their actual physical location took a nosedive. Talk about shooting yourself in the foot. The study showed that adding EXIF data consistently decreased rankings in targeted areas.

Geotagging photos might boost ‘near me’ rankings slightly, but it can tank your visibility for city searches and hurt local rankings overall.

Let’s get technical for a moment. Google strips EXIF metadata from uploaded images anyway, which makes the whole exercise pretty pointless. A comprehensive ten-week study of 27 lawn care businesses proved this point decisively.

And here’s something that’ll make you laugh – EXIF data is about as trustworthy as a three-dollar bill. Anyone with basic software can manipulate it, which is precisely why Google’s John Mueller flat-out stated it has zero SEO benefit. Just like inbound links, Google doesn’t penalize for geotagged photos, but they simply don’t help rankings.

The evidence keeps stacking up against geotagging. Multiple studies have consistently shown no positive impact on Google Business Profile rankings. Your smartphone might automatically add location data to photos, but that information vanishes faster than free donuts in an office break room once you upload them to Google.

The local search game is changing, and businesses need to face reality.

While some SEO practitioners still swear by geotagging’s mysterious powers, the data tells a different story. Rankings across service areas remain unaffected by geotagged photos, and the practice can actually harm your visibility in city-specific searches.

Instead of chasing this digital wild goose, businesses would be better off focusing on what actually works – quality images and consistent content updates. Sometimes the simplest answer is the right one.