Have you ever heard of Four Square, Urban Spoon or Yelp? These are a few location based tools that users can take advantage of to find services, restaurants and other businesses. It is just another form of advertising on the internet. Companies are finding more interactive ways to advertise their local products to people on the go.
When facebook analyzed their advertising revenue, one thing stood out. Many of their users were accessing the site via a mobile device. There was no advertising on the mobile site and this meant much lost revenue. With the company now on the public stock market, the main goal of the organization is to increase the wealth of their shareholders. Advertising on their mobile sites is critical to sustaining growth and a strong revenue stream. There are several companies that work with facebook that offer local services.
GPS, global positioning systems, allow for social networks to identify the location of a user. This technology is a critical tool for internet advertisers to reach their potential consumers. There is a Boston based company called Bytelight. The company uses LED lighting technology to track a consumer's movements based on the mobile device. The technology can provide coupons to consumers as well as analyze the patterns of movement in a business so that owners can better interact with customers.
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The use of GPS with different mobile devices apps has been on the up and up. Before 2013, Waze (a GPS Navigation app) that I use would just get me to my destination. Now, while driving different ads pop up on my phone giving me suggestions to stop a nearby by gas stations, restaurants,and etc. When using Yelp, whatever city you are in it gives you some the highest rated attractions & places to visit. I the way things are going I would say by the end of 2013 (if even takes that long); location-based services something people will see as a convenience and another norm in their lives.
ReplyDeleteI think these services are very nice and they can make life very convenient. They could come in very handy if you're on a road trip or get lost too. I also think that the location based social network could be a dangerous thing. Just think if the power of the GPS locator were to fall into the hands of someone who might want to do you harm.
ReplyDeleteLocation based ads have become very popular on smartphones as those are the most mobile devices that are normally carried around. Smartphones use many Internet connected apps and contain GPS systems that can tell trackers/advertisers your current location. Advertisers can use your location to target certain interest in the area you are currently in, for instance if you are near a bunch of restaurants, McDonalds advertisements may pop up when you are near one to try to gain your business.
ReplyDeleteBrian - Thanks for sharing the app Waze, I don't know that I can tolerate ads popping up while i'm driving and trying to use the navigation.
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