XooCode(){

GeoCoordinates

GeoCoordinates pins an entity to a point on the map using latitude and longitude. Google uses it to place businesses on Maps, match "near me" searches, and calculate distances for local search ranking. It nests inside LocalBusiness, Event, and any type with a geo property. Without coordinates, Google relies on the postal address alone, which is less precise and can fail for locations without a street address (parks, outdoor venues, pop-up shops).

Full example of schema.org/GeoCoordinates json-ld markup

The markup is verified as valid with Rich Results Test from Google.

schema.org/GeoCoordinates
<script type="application/ld+json">
{
  "@context": "https://schema.org",
  "@type": "Place",
  "@id": "https://xoocode.com/shop/dunmore-1290#place",
  "name": "Xoo Code Shop Dunmore",
  "address": {
    "@type": "PostalAddress",
    "@id": "https://xoocode.com/shop/dunmore-1290#address",
    "streetAddress": "1290 O'Brien Street",
    "addressLocality": "Dunmore",
    "addressRegion": "PA",
    "postalCode": "18512",
    "addressCountry": "US"
  },
  "geo": {
    "@type": "GeoCoordinates",
    "latitude": 41.4195,
    "longitude": -75.6327,
    "elevation": 291
  }
}
</script>

latitude and longitude precision

Use decimal degrees, not degrees-minutes-seconds. Latitude ranges from -90 (south pole) to 90 (north pole). Longitude ranges from -180 to 180. Five decimal places give roughly 1-meter accuracy, which is sufficient for any business location. More precision is unnecessary. Fewer than four decimal places puts you in the wrong block. Always use numbers, not strings.

elevation

elevation is optional and rarely needed. It specifies height above sea level in meters. Useful for mountain businesses, ski resorts, or multi-level buildings where the floor matters. Most businesses should omit it. When included, use a number (meters), not a string.

GeoCoordinates vs GeoShape

GeoCoordinates marks a single point. GeoShape defines an area (a circle, a polygon, a box). Use GeoCoordinates for a specific address or building. Use GeoShape for a service area, a park boundary, or a delivery zone. Most businesses need GeoCoordinates. Service-area businesses that do not have a physical storefront may benefit from GeoShape instead.

Minimal valid version

The smallest markup that still produces a valid GeoCoordinates entity. Use it as the floor. Reach for the advanced example above when you want search engines and AI agents to understand more about your content.

schema.org/GeoCoordinates (minimal)
<script type="application/ld+json">
{
  "@context": "https://schema.org",
  "@type": "GeoCoordinates",
  "latitude": 41.4195,
  "longitude": -75.6327
}
</script>

Google rich results this unlocks

GeoCoordinates is a structural type. It does not produce a rich result on its own.

Its value comes from combining it with a primary type whose markup earns a rich result (Article, Product, Event, and so on). GeoCoordinates becomes the trunk that the primary type branches off viamainEntityorbreadcrumb. Include it on every page as the backbone of your markup.

Common GeoCoordinates mistakes

Mistakes that pass validation but silently fail to earn rich results or mislead consumers walking the graph. Avoid these and your markup will be ahead of most sites in the wild.

  1. 01

    Coordinates as strings instead of numbers

    Wrong
    "latitude": "41.4195"
    Right
    "latitude": 41.4195

    schema.org defines latitude and longitude as Number values. Quoted strings pass JSON validation but are semantically wrong. Some processors and mapping services reject string coordinates. Always use unquoted numeric values.

  2. 02

    Latitude and longitude swapped

    Wrong
    "latitude": -75.6327, "longitude": 41.4195
    Right
    "latitude": 41.4195, "longitude": -75.6327

    Latitude is the north-south position (-90 to 90). Longitude is the east-west position (-180 to 180). Swapping them places your business on the wrong continent. A quick check: latitude for anywhere in the continental US is between 24 and 49. If your latitude value is outside that range for a US address, the values are likely swapped.

  3. 03

    Too few decimal places

    Wrong
    "latitude": 41.4
    Right
    "latitude": 41.4195

    One decimal place of latitude covers about 11 km. Two decimal places cover about 1.1 km. Three cover about 110 m. Four or five decimal places are sufficient for placing a pin on the correct building. With just one or two decimals, Google may place your business in the wrong neighborhood or on the wrong street.

  4. 04

    Using degrees-minutes-seconds format

    Wrong
    "latitude": "41°25'10.2\"N"
    Right
    "latitude": 41.4195

    schema.org uses decimal degrees, not DMS (degrees, minutes, seconds). The DMS format with degree symbols and directional letters is not valid JSON and cannot be parsed. Convert to decimal: divide minutes by 60 and seconds by 3600, then add to degrees.

About the example data

These coordinates place Xoo Code Shop Dunmore at 41.4195, -75.6327 in Dunmore, Pennsylvania. The same GeoCoordinates block appears nested inside the LocalBusiness example's geo property. Here it is shown standalone so you can see the full structure.

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