Digitization in Google Earth Pro is a useful way to mark locations and trace features directly on satellite imagery. You can create points, lines, and polygons to represent features such as buildings, roads, rivers, property boundaries, farms, and other areas of interest.
The process is useful for preliminary mapping, field planning, visual interpretation, and preparing geographic data for further work. Google Earth provides tools for adding placemarks, paths, and polygons directly to the map.
What Is Digitization in Google Earth Pro?
Digitization means creating geographic features by placing or drawing them over a map or satellite image.
In Google Earth Pro, the three basic feature types are:
- Point – represents a specific location.
- Line or Path – represents a linear feature.
- Polygon – represents an enclosed area.
For example, a point can represent a water source, a line can represent a road, and a polygon can represent a farm or building area.
If you also need to create KML and KMZ files, see our guide on How to Create KML and KMZ Files in Google Earth Pro, where we explain how to do it step by step.
How to Digitize Point Data
A point is useful when you need to mark a specific location.
Step 1: Find Your Study Area
Open Google Earth Pro and search for your area of interest. Zoom in until the feature you want to mark is clearly visible.
Step 2: Add a Placemark
Select Add Placemark from the toolbar. A placemark will appear on the map.
Move the marker to the exact location you want to record. You can give it a meaningful name, such as Point 01, Water Source, or Building 01.
Google Earth allows you to change the placemark icon and edit its details.
Step 3: Save the Point
Click OK to save the placemark. The point will be stored under Places.
You can later reopen or edit the saved point if necessary.
Once you have completed this process, you may also want to learn How to Measure Land Area in Google EarthPro, if you need calculate area of your propert is simple by using this method
How to Digitize Line Data
Lines or paths are suitable for features that have length but are not areas.
Examples include:
- Roads
- Rivers
- Pipelines
- Trails
- Fences
- Drainage channels
Step 1: Select Add Path
Click Add Path and give the feature a suitable name, such as Road 01.
Step 2: Trace the Feature
Start clicking along the feature you want to digitize. For a curved road or river, add more points as the feature changes direction.
The more carefully you follow the feature, the better the resulting line will represent the satellite imagery.
Google's documentation confirms that paths can be drawn by selecting a starting point and adding points along the desired route.
Step 3: Customise and Save
You can adjust the appearance of the path, including its colour and style. When finished, click OK to save it.
How to Digitize Polygon Data
A polygon is used when you need to represent an enclosed area.
Common examples include:
- Farms
- Lakes
- Buildings
- Property areas
- Forest patches
- Construction sites
Select the Polygon or shape tool and click around the boundary of the area. Continue adding points until the shape encloses the feature.
Google Earth supports drawing polygons and can also measure the area of a polygon after it has been created.
How to Change the Colour and Style
After creating a point, line, or polygon, you can customise its appearance.
Depending on the feature, you can change options such as:
- Name
- Colour
- Line width
- Icon
- Style
- Description
Using different colours can make a map easier to understand. For example, you might use one colour for roads and another for water features.
How to Save Your Digitized Data
Keep related features organised in folders under Places. For example, you could create a folder called Road Network and place all digitized roads inside it.
When your work is complete, Google Earth Pro allows saved locations and map features to be saved to your computer. Google documents the use of saved places and KML files for storing geographic information.
This is useful if you want to keep a backup or transfer your digitized data to another computer.
Point vs Line vs Polygon
| Feature | Represents | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Point | Specific location | Water source |
| Line | Linear feature | Road |
| Polygon | Enclosed area | Farm |
Choosing the correct feature type makes your map easier to organise and analyse.
Common Digitization Mistakes
Placing Points Too Far From the Feature
Zoom in before digitizing and place points carefully on the visible feature.
Using Too Few Points
Curved roads, rivers, and irregular boundaries require more points to follow their shape accurately.
Forgetting to Save
Unsaved features can be lost when you close or change your work. Save important features and organise them in Places.
For additional information and the latest guidance, see the official Google Earth Help documentation on Create and manage placemarks and coordinates.
Treating Google Earth as a Professional Survey
Satellite imagery and manually digitized boundaries are useful for mapping and preliminary analysis, but they should not automatically be treated as legally accurate survey data.
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