placemarking

Placemarking is the practice of creating and managing placemarks—geographic markers that designate locations on a map or within a location-based service. A placemark typically includes coordinates (latitude and longitude), a name, and optional metadata such as a description, category, timestamp, and an icon. Placemarking is used to mark points of interest, waypoints for travel, field observations, or collaborative map work. The term is common in consumer mapping apps and geographic information systems (GIS).

In GIS and map software, a placemark is a point feature with geometry and attributes. It can be created by tapping or clicking on a map, by searching for a place and choosing add, or by importing coordinates from GPS data. Each placemark stores data such as coordinates, title, description, category, and contact or source information. Some formats, such as KML, use a Placemark element to encapsulate geometry and metadata; similar concepts exist in GPX, GeoJSON, and others.

Uses and workflows include marking travel waypoints, saving addresses for routes, cataloging field observations, and sharing locations with others. Placemarking supports offline work, syncing across devices, and integration with other features like routes, venues, and maps. Privacy considerations include controlling visibility, avoiding marking sensitive infrastructure or private locations, and adhering to platform guidelines and local laws regarding data sharing.

Limitations and challenges include GPS accuracy errors, signal loss in enclosed spaces, scale sensitivity, and potential duplication when multiple users add the same location. Effective placemarking relies on clear naming, consistent categorization, and regular maintenance of outdated or incorrect markers.