InSites: Location-based services are still a niche application
From Social media around the world 2011 @ slideshare.net/stevenvanbelleghem:
Location-Based Services refers to a broad range of services that are based on information about the physical location of a user and/or device.
Location-based services provide the user with information such as "Where is the nearest ATM?" or they can be push-based and deliver coupons or other marketing information to customers who are in a specific geographical area.
[...] The reach of location-based services (lbs) is limited. Only 12% is currently using lbs, mainly Facebook Places, Foursquare and Gowalla.
Important note: Facebook Places was reported discontinued on August 24, 2011. Facebook users can now add location from anywhere, regardless of what device you are using, or whether it is a status update, photo or Wall post.
More highlights regarding Location-Based Services from the report:
- People are encouraged by social media to share information, but they seem somewhat less enthusiastic to share their location. The issue is mainly due to privacy and a lack of awareness.
- Both users and non users expect brands and companies to offer local discounts wherever they go, or advise on things to do /information regarding the place they are.
Word of the day: SoLoMo (social, location, mobile)
From WordSpy, the Word Lover's guide to new words:
SoLoMo
n. Mobile phone apps that combine social networking and location data. [Social + location (or local) + mobile.]
The term caught my eye in Google Defines Social Strategy at InformationWeek.com:
SoLoMo offers a reminder that data sets do not exist in a vacuum. Search expert and Web 2.0 Conference co-chair John Battelle has described several categories of data that are relevant to Google and its kin: There's the social graph (contacts, friends), interest data (likes, tweets, recommendations), search data (queries, history), purchase data (what you buy, credit card numbers), location data (where you are, have been, and are going), and content data (behavior when engaged with content).
An example: I'm in Diegem, and hungry. I use the Google App on my smartphone to give a "pizza" voice command. The app returns search results for pizza deliveries in a 20 km radius of Diegem, who are open right now, with clickable phone numbers to order and sorted by the amounts of "likes" or ratings from people within my social graph.
Below is a chart that shows how different players in the field are looking for their own value proposition within the SoLoMo space. Anyone know who the author/source is?
