What is Location Tag?
The podcast:location tag specifies geographic locations relevant to episodes or entire shows, with coordinates and place names. This metadata enables geographic discovery and adds context for travel podcasts, local interest shows, and episodes about specific places.
Location Tag Structure
<podcast:location
geo="geo:40.7128,-74.0060"
osm="R175905">
New York City
</podcast:location>
| Attribute | Purpose |
|---|---|
geo |
Geographic coordinates (latitude,longitude) |
osm |
OpenStreetMap identifier for precision |
| Element content | Human-readable place name |
Usage Levels
Show-level: Where the podcast is based or generally about
<channel>
<podcast:location geo="geo:34.0522,-118.2437">
Los Angeles, California
</podcast:location>
</channel>
Episode-level: Where this specific episode takes place or discusses
<item>
<podcast:location geo="geo:48.8566,2.3522">
Paris, France
</podcast:location>
</item>
Location Types
| Type | Use Case |
|---|---|
| City | General area reference |
| Venue | Specific recording location |
| Region | Area coverage (e.g., "Pacific Northwest") |
| Country | National focus |
| Custom | Historical or fictional locations |
Discovery Applications
| Use Case | Enabled By Location Tags |
|---|---|
| "Podcasts about Tokyo" | Geographic search |
| Local podcast discovery | Find shows near me |
| Travel planning | Content about destination |
| Map visualizations | Plot podcast locations |
Why It Matters
Location tags enable geographic discovery—a dimension of podcast search that's been largely impossible until now. For location-relevant content, these tags significantly improve discoverability.
Why location tags matter:
-
Geographic discovery: "Find podcasts about Paris" or "near me" searches.
-
Travel content: Tour guides, travel stories, local expertise.
-
Local podcasting: City-specific shows, local news, community podcasts.
-
Contextual relevance: Understanding where content applies.
Podcasts that benefit most:
| Category | Location Relevance |
|---|---|
| Travel podcasts | Essential |
| Local news/interest | Essential |
| History podcasts | Very helpful |
| Interview shows | Sometimes helpful (guest location) |
| General interest | Limited benefit |
Discovery scenarios:
| User Query | Location Tag Enables |
|---|---|
| "Podcasts about Japan" | Find Japan-focused content |
| "What to do in Barcelona" | Travel guides with location metadata |
| "Podcasts near me" | Local discovery |
| "History of Rome" | Rome-tagged history episodes |
Adoption strategy: If your content has geographic relevance, location tags are low-effort, high-value metadata. If location isn't relevant to your content, skip it.
How to Use This in Dispatch
Add location information to episodes that discuss specific places:
Adding episode location:
- Open episode in the editor
- Find the Location section
- Search for a place or enter coordinates
- Location is added to your RSS feed
Show-level location: Set your show's primary location in Show Settings for shows that are consistently about a specific place.
When to use locations:
- Episode focuses on a specific place
- Recording from notable venue
- Travel episode about a destination
- Local interest content
Location data:
- Place name (displayed to listeners)
- Coordinates (for mapping/search)
- OpenStreetMap ID (optional, for precision)