One of the most exciting areas of technology that is set to explode in 2010 is geotagging. There are now a bevy of hardware devices and software programs that allow users to update their geographic location in real time. Some do it without the user taking a direct action, like digital cameras that automatically embed location data in each photograph’s file. That’s interesting for archival purposes and may have broader implications, such as enabling the ability to share and sort photographs taken in certain locations.
But the bigger potential lies in user-generated geotagging services such as Foursquare (www.foursquare.com) and Brightkite (www.brightkite.com). Using Foursquare on a smart phone, a person “checks in” or updates where they are. Then, their friends can see where they are and keep tabs on their whereabouts. Brightkite, Loopt (www.loopt.com) and other services work in a similar fashion.
Foursquare is really taking off because it adds additional social elements to existing services. Individual users get points for visiting places and gain virtual rewards (i.e., badges) for visiting places for the first time. The most frequent visitor to a location becomes that spot’s “mayor.” Each week, friends can compete to see who racks up the most points, which encourages exploration and frequent updates. And users can get and share tips about the places they visit.
For brands, the truly exciting opportunity is the ability to deliver messages to users in real time. The moment someone checks in to a restaurant, for example, the person could get a coupon on their smart phone. Some retailers are offering incentives, such as free drinks, meals or other incentives to the person who becomes the “mayor.”
Foursquare also had the foresight to allow users to optionally post their updates to Twitter and Facebook, which helps the service gain traction and further boosts its social networking appeal.
As reported by eMarketer, “Mobile ad spending will rise from $416 million in 2009 to $593 million in 2010 as more brands and agencies integrate mobile into their marketing mix.” Thanks to geotagging technology and cross-pollination of social media sites, both consumers and companies stand to benefit from being in the right place at the right time.
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