You are an organization with a specific location. How are you leveraging that data in your business? For many, it’s likely you are not. At least not in terms of the location-aware internet.
The cornerstone of the internet was search, while social media has focused on communication. In combining the two and overlaying with location data, the impact on conversations and search capabilities increases exponentially.
One of Jarad’s forecasted trends for social media in 2010 was the surge in location-aware services. With the proliferation of GPS-enabled smartphones and web browsers with geolocation, the adage “location, location, location” is finally taking shape online.
Take notice of what is nearby; consumers already do
The location-aware darlings of 2010 will be Foursquare and Gowalla, two location-based social networks that allow users to “check in” at various locations. Some businesses are granting deals to “mayors” (those that check in the most), while others are tying customers using social networks to brand loyalty.
Consumers using their GPS-enabled devices can view nearby restaurants or businesses, specials being offered, or even homes for sale with open houses.
Outside of location-assisted searches, other services are collecting local data and creating new visualizations of information. For example, Twitter’s Local Trends feature leverages geo-tagged tweets and sorts out the most-talked-about topics in a specific area. Now, instead of knowing that everyone in the world is talking about the Super Bowl, you’ll be able to see what’s being tweeted about most in your city.
Mine the information your customers are freely providing
Getting customer feedback can be like pulling teeth, but social networks coupled with location give you the ability to easily harvest this information. What are people saying about your organization on Google Local? Have you checked Yelp or Urbanspoon for reviews? Tracking sentiment in relation to your business is easy once you have a monitoring system in place. Talk to us if you aren’t actively monitoring your brand in social media or would like help developing a strategy to do so.
Target users based on location
Now that you know where your customers are, why not leverage that data to make your communications more relevant? Find ways to reward those checking in or leaving reviews. Target your Facebook messaging based on fan location. Convey emergency alerts based on user feedback.
Social media already allows your communications to be more targeted and more personal; adding location strengthens that capability.
Start planning for the location-aware internet, now
Although most of these applications cater to the consumer, location-aware services are beneficial to everyone. Organizations learn more about their audience based on the information they provide, and businesses can better market themselves when armed with the right feedback.
The most exciting thing about the location-aware internet is that it’s already here. Now it’s just a matter of time before your customers begin leveraging these tools.
How will these technologies change the face of the way we communicate and do business? Are you ready for the location-aware internet?
[Photo from extranoise on Flickr / CC BY 2.0]
