Facebook allows users to add locations to their posts and check-ins, helping friends and connections understand where you are and what you’re doing. While Facebook has an extensive database of existing businesses, landmarks, and public places, sometimes you may want to add a more custom or personal location.
Can you actually add a custom location on Facebook?
Yes, Facebook does give users the ability to add custom locations that are not already in their database. This allows you to tag locations that are important to you or accurately describe where you are without being limited to Facebook’s existing places.
How to add a custom location on Facebook
Adding a custom location is easy to do right within the Facebook apps. Here are the steps:
- When creating a new post or check-in on Facebook, tap on the Location field.
- Start typing the name of your custom location. Below the search bar you will see an option that says “Add [location name].”
- Tap on “Add [location name]” to create your custom location.
- On mobile, you can also tap on the pin icon next to the Location field to drop a pin wherever you want your custom location to be on the map.
- On desktop, click on the small globe icon next to the Location field to open up a map view. You can zoom into the map and drag the map marker to your desired custom location.
Once created, your custom location will be saved to your Facebook account for future use. You can use it again easily by starting to type the name into the Location field, and selecting it when it pops up as an option.
Types of custom locations you can add
You have a lot of flexibility when adding custom locations on Facebook. Some common types of custom locations people add include:
- Homes or residences
- Favorite hangout spots
- Campsites, cabins, lodges, or other vacation stays
- Parks, trails, lakes, beaches, or other outdoor recreational places
- Buildings on college campuses or office parks
- Arenas, fields, courts, or other sports facilities
- Restaurants, cafes, bars, or other eateries
- Shops, boutiques, stores, or other retail locations
- Concert halls, theaters, museums, or other entertainment and cultural venues
- Places that are special to you for personal reasons, like “Dad’s childhood home”
Really any location that is important to you that doesn’t already exist on Facebook can be added this way.
Adding location details
When adding a custom location, you also have the ability to provide additional details that will be saved along with that place.
On mobile, after dropping a pin for your custom location, tap on the “Add Details” link.
On desktop, click on the pencil icon next to your new location pin on the map.
From here you can add:
- Category – Like restaurant, shop, home, etc.
- Description
- Street address
- Phone number
- Website
Providing these details helps your friends when you tag your posts and check-ins with this location in the future. They will see the additional context along with your custom location name.
Adding custom locations is useful for:
Tagging custom locations can be useful in many scenarios:
- Check-ins and posts when you’re at home
- Accurately showing friends where you are on a camping trip or at your cabin
- Indicating where a social gathering or house party is happening
- Showing people around campus where your dorm building is
- Checking into a restaurant or bar nearby that’s not officially on Facebook
- Tagging a park, hiking trail, beach, or other outdoor place you frequently visit
- Showing people the specific arena, field, court, etc. you’re at for a sports game or practice
Essentially any place that’s important to you that isn’t already an option on Facebook can have a custom location created for it.
Pros of adding custom locations
There are a few advantages to going through the process of adding custom locations:
- You can tag places accurately without being limited to what Facebook has in its database
- It helps avoid confusion when friends see your non-specific or inaccurate location tags
- Friends can discover new places through the custom locations you add
- It builds a more personalized map of places you frequent on your Facebook profile
- You can provide additional context and details for the location to inform your friends
- Custom places you add are saved for easy use again in the future
Overall, the ability to create custom locations gives you more flexibility and control to tag your posts the way you want.
Cons of adding custom locations
There are a couple drawbacks to having custom locations on Facebook:
- It takes a few extra steps to add a custom location compared to tagging an existing place
- Your custom location names and details are only visible to your connections on Facebook
- Businesses, organizations, and public places don’t benefit from foot traffic or engagement that official Facebook place pages facilitate
For personal places like your home or other spots you frequent, these downsides likely won’t outweigh the benefits of adding a custom location. But for public places and businesses, having an official Facebook page can be more advantageous overall.
Adding a custom location using Facebook desktop
Custom locations can also be added right from Facebook on your desktop or laptop browser. Here’s how:
- When creating a new post or check-in, click on the location icon next to the text box.
- In the location search box, type the name of your desired custom location.
- Below the search bar, click on “Add [location name].”
- This will open a map view. Zoom into the map and drag the map marker to your desired location.
- Click on the pencil icon next to the custom location pin to add details like category, description, address, phone number, and website (optional).
- Click “Save” to finish adding your custom location.
Now when you start to type that location name in the future, it will auto-populate as an option to tag.
How to edit or delete a custom location
You can manage the custom locations you’ve added to Facebook by following these steps:
Edit a custom location
- Go to your Facebook profile and click on “More” in the left menu.
- Select “Locations” from the options.
- Find the custom location you want to edit and click on the pencil icon on the right side.
- This will open an editor where you can modify the location name, details, category, and map position.
- Click “Save” when you’re done making changes.
Delete a custom location
- Go to your Facebook profile and click on “More” in the left menu.
- Select “Locations” from the options.
- Find the custom location you want to delete and click on the trash can icon on the right side.
- Confirm that you want to delete the location when prompted.
Doing occasional cleanup of old locations you don’t use anymore can help keep your custom places relevant.
What’s the limit for custom locations you can add?
Facebook allows users to add an essentially unlimited number of custom locations. There’s no definitive limit in place on how many user-created places you can tag.
That being said, it’s best to be selective about which locations you actually add as custom. Too many irrelevant, outdated, or redundant places can become clutter. Most people only need to add a handful of frequently visited spots that aren’t already on Facebook.
Can businesses add themselves as a custom location?
Technically any Facebook user can add any location as a custom place, but it needs to have relevance to you. Facebook’s guidelines discourage businesses from adding themselves as custom locations just to get on the map.
Instead, it’s better for local businesses, organizations, attractions, etc. to create an official Facebook Page. This gives them features like:
- Page Insights analytics
- Ability to create ads and promotions
- Integrations with Instagram business profiles
- Reviews from people who interact with the Page
- Shows up in “Nearby Places” searches
So custom locations work well for personal spots relevant to you. But any public place hoping to increase visibility, engagement, and foot traffic should have a real business Page on Facebook.
Should you add your home as a custom location?
You may want to tag posts as being at your home for personal memory keeping or just convenience. However, there are privacy and safety factors to consider with adding your exact home address.
Potential risks include:
- Burglars could use it to target vacant homes or scope info
- It gives anyone an exact home address to look up
- Makes it easier for strangers to find where you live
So it’s usually recommended not to add your specific house or apartment as a custom location with full address details. More generalized options include:
- “Home” or “My Place”
- Your neighborhood, subdivision, or building name
- Nearby landmark like “By the big oak tree”
This allows you to still tag that you’re posting from home without revealing the exact spot.
Can locations be added on Facebook business Pages?
Facebook business Pages have their own system for adding location information separate from user profiles. As the admin of a Page, you can add:
- Physical addresses
- Service areas
- Locations where events are happening
- Parking, entrances, pickup spots etc.
- Indicating businesses that have closed
This helps people understand where your business is located, the areas you serve, and relevant spots to find your organization on Facebook.
With Pages, it’s especially important that location information is accurate and complete. This factors into local search results, ads targeting, and recommendations of your business to people nearby.
Can you add a location on Facebook without checking in?
Yes, you can add a location tag to any Facebook post without actually checking in there. Simply start typing the name of any existing or custom place into the location field as you’re writing a post.
This is useful for mentioning places you’ve been recently or talking about a location without necessarily being there in that moment.
However, for real-time sharing of where you currently are, checking in officially makes that most clear to your friends. The post will indicate you “Were here with [friend(s)]” below the location. Check-ins also appear on your timeline’s map of recent activity.
So a regular location tag conveys you mentioning somewhere, while checking in shows your actual presence at that place.
Do custom locations show up in Nearby Friends?
The custom locations you add on your Facebook profile will not appear as options in the Nearby Friends feature. This is because Nearby Friends exclusively uses Facebook’s database of official public places for location tagging.
So if you check in using a custom location you added, it will show in that post but not populate as a place in your Nearby Friends map. Those friends would need to actually look at your post to see the custom location you tagged.
Can businesses add a custom location for multiple branches?
For companies like restaurants, retail stores, etc. that have multiple locations, they should create individual Facebook Pages for each branch. Then customers can check in and tag the specific location they are visiting.
Trying to group multiple physical branches together under one custom location can be confusing for people wanting to engage with the nearest in-person site. Each store or restaurant should have its own Page location that people can check into.
The brand itself can have an overall umbrella Page for information that applies to the entire company. But individual location Pages work best for check-ins.
Is there a way to make custom locations public?
Since custom locations only appear in connection with your profile, there’s no way to make them viewable to the general public. Anyone not connected to your profile on Facebook won’t see the custom places you add.
If you want to create a place that’s searchable and engaging to all Facebook users, your best option is to create a real Facebook Page. This gives it visibility in local results as an official public place that anyone can interact with.
For personally relevant spots, custom locations work fine. But to develop a location into a public entity, building out a dedicated Page for it is better.
Can I add a location from desktop if I don’t have the mobile app?
Yes, you can add custom locations from your desktop browser without needing the Facebook app on your phone. Just use the steps outlined earlier for adding a location on desktop:
- Click the location icon when making a post
- Type your custom place name
- Click “Add [name]”
- Drag map marker to desired spot
- Add details like category and description (optional)
- Click “Save”
This will save your custom location to your Facebook profile for tagging posts and check-ins even if you don’t have a mobile device linked.
Do I need to add a lot of locations for my Facebook business Page?
It’s not necessary to go overboard adding a ton of custom locations to your business’s Facebook Page. A few most relevant spots like store locations, warehouses, and other facilities is sufficient. Too many unimportant or vague locations creates clutter.
Focus on adding:
- Physical retail, restaurant, or service locations
- Major hubs like corporate headquarters
- Venues hosting key events
Less critical spots like employee homes or minor temp locations aren’t worth tagging. Keep it simple with just the core places vital to your customers. Quality over quantity.
Can I add my friend’s houses as custom locations?
You should avoid tagging your friends’ personal residences as custom locations without permission. Many people are cautious about revealing exact home addresses publicly.
Even if you think it’s harmless, discuss it with your friend first before potentially oversharing their location info. They may not be comfortable with their house being visible, even just to your own social connections.
For privacy and safety, it’s best to keep residential addresses limited unless you know for sure the owner is fine with their home being added as a custom tag. Get consent first.
Conclusion
Adding custom locations provides a simple way to tag the important places in your life on Facebook that aren’t already available. While the official database of businesses and public places is extensive, you may still need to create your own personal places sometimes. Following the steps to add, edit, and manage custom locations gives you control to mark your frequent hangouts, favorite local haunts, and other spots that matter to you. Just keep privacy in mind and be selective about which locations really need a custom tag. But for most people, a few special adds are all you need to pin the places in your world.