Jul 10
2
location based technology
Location-Based Marketing: Strategy & Insight for Brands & Agencies
June 29, 2010 – 9:29 amThere’s been several great articles recently on location-based marketing that I’d like to share.
The first is a blog post from Soical Fresh: 21 Unique Location Examples from Foursquare, Gowalla, Whrrl and MyTown
In the article above are some great examples of how brands, large and small, are utilizing the various location-based services out there. While not fully exhaustive, as new campaigns are launching all the time, I think it provides the best compilation of projects to date.
There are a few other projects I’d add to the list, including the Tasti D-Lite loyalty program, Red Bull (Whrrl) and Intercontinental Hotel Group that integrated Gowalla into their loyalty program.
There are some companies that didn’t make the list either that I’d add, like Loopt Star and Brightkite.
There are plenty of active projects by all location-based companies, and in some cases, you’d be better off working with a smaller player to have more influence over the end product. Keep in mind that several of the companies are growing so fast that they’ve had some growing pains along the way, including downtime, but don’t let that turn you away.
Yelp is another organization that I think needs more attention. They’ve got the scale, both on mobile devices and the web that puts them towards the top of the list for restaurants and retail, at least.
- 32 million unique website visitors in May 2010 (top 100 website)
- 1.4 million unique iPhone users
- 27% of all Yelp searches come from the iPhone app
- 500,000 phone calls
- 1 million point-to-point directions
Pepsi, which ran one of the first branded campaigns on Foursquare and the exclusive non-alcoholic beverage partner, has launched their own location-based checkin service called Pepsi Loot, which allows users to find locations where Pepsi can be purchased and rewarding users for checking in.
Launching a private location-based network is not a small undertaking, but for Pepsi, I can see it as a viable project, especially considering the value of the consumer data they will collect.
One thing I’ll point out is that there has been low recall (but high response) for location-based services (eMarketer), but it’s still an emerging area, so I think that will evolve with time.
There was also an article from eMarketer (Privacy Concerns Fail to Slow Social Activity) that shows while privacy is still a concern, it hasn’t slowed down users from being active in social media.
There are rumors of a significant venture capital investment in Foursquare (with a $100 million valuation by some), but there have also been rumors about buyouts as well.
Mashable had another great article with tips on location-based marketing:
- learn the platforms
- determine goals
- establish your presence
- customize & implement compelling promotions
- engage, track & adapt
Lastly, there was a great article from ReadWriteWeb Why We Check In: The Reasons People Use Location-Based Social Networks – another must read for those trying to understand location-based marketing.
They grouped the venues into food, travel, parks, education & nightlife.
The reasons for checkins were serendipity & connection, to win some kind of prize or reward (mayorship, sweepstakes, etc) and for maintaining a personal history (a “lazy diary”).
I’m excited about where this space is headed – so claim your venue, check in and start learning and sharing with your peers.
Technorati Tags: mobile, Foursquare, Gowalla, location-based, mobile social networks
Las Vegas Based Technology Company Revolutionizes Mobile Computing with Lilliputian Laptop
By Rodney Marvel
Author, e-media Direct
Mobile computing will never be the same with the advent of Seamless Wi-Fi’s S-Gen UMPC, or Ultra Mobile Personal Computer. In an era when computer manufacturers are developing smaller PC solutions to meet the nomadic nature of today’s consumers, the S-Gen stands out as one of the most robust, yet smallest, micro PC’s available on the market. It has already made appearances on the Montel Williams Show and at numerous shows in Las Vegas, Salt Lake City, Massachusetts, and Washington, D.C.
Ultra mobile is a bit of an understatement. The S-Gen weighs a mere 16 ounces and measures in with a length of 6.5 inches, a width of 3.8 inches, and a depth of 1.25 inches. Despite its diminutive size, this “pocket” PC comes complete with a near full size keyboard, TFT touch screen display, and 20 GB hard drive. Of course, it also has all of the bells and whistles of other mobile products, such as Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, and cellular wireless technology. Maybe surprising to some would be the fact that the S-Gen also features an integrated GPS system with internal antennae.
Of course, being able to map your location and see your destination is only useful if you have enough battery power to get you through to the end of your trip. Fear not, the Seamless Wi-Fi S-Gen has a battery life in excess of 8 hours. That is roughly 4 times longer than traditional laptop battery life and double the endurance of higher capacity notebook batteries. When you consider just how many functions the S-Gen is capable of, you will realize that you need every bit of those 8 hours. The S-Gen is essentially a tri-band cell phone, MP3 player, GPS navigation system, and mobile computer all wrapped up into one very portable package.
The S-Gen is so power-packed that it has been featured in PC Magazine, Laptop Magazine, The Mercury News, and The New York Post. Let’s not forget the S-Gen’s reviews on DL.TV, Geekzone, and ZDNet just to name a few. All of this positive publicity can only strengthen Seamless Wi-Fi’s sales numbers when the S-Gen officially launches on July 1, 2008. The estimated retail price is $1,195, a very reasonable value when you consider the four or five devices that this unit will replace when you purchase it.
Recently, at the “Money Show” in Las Vegas, Nevada, Seamless Wi-Fi demonstrated the many features of the S-Gen to businessmen from all over the world. One of the demonstrations that seemed to surprise some was the ability to take a SIM card from any wireless phone, pop it into the S-Gen and immediately begin making calls. The company received a lot of interest while at the show and is very optimistic about the sales potential of this one-of-a-kind product.
Seamless Wi-Fi, Inc. (SMWF), a development stage company, is an Internet company that is developing cutting edge technologies to create and provide new and innovative products and services for both businesses and consumers. The company is based in Las Vegas, Nevada, has three operating subsidiaries, and engages in the development and marketing of Internet communications products and services in the United States. The company provides wireless Internet access service known as wireless fidelity (Wi-Fi) in Wi-Fi hot pots. It also develops software program that provides Wi-Fi users with Seamless-Secure Internet browsing, which encrypts the user’s Wi-Fi signal.
Seamless Wi-Fi recently announced the impending launch of a big brother to the S-Gen, the S-NBK-1 mini-notebook. The S-NBK-1, which is available now, contains a 10.2” TFT screen, 1.6 GHZ processor, 512 MB RAM, 80GB hard drive, and Windows® XP operating system. The company has already launched the S-NBK-1 with a MSRP in the mid $500’s, which they feel is very competitively priced for the growing mini-notebook market.
Albert R. Reda, President and CEO for Seamless Wi-Fi, Inc., has been with the company since November 1988. Mr. Reda received his Bachelor of Science degree from California State University, Long Beach, with a major in engineering. Mr. Reda is an officer and director of two other public companies, DCM Enterprises, Inc. and Global Debit Cash Card, Inc. For further information: info@slwf.com or 775.588.2499.
Rodney Marvel is currently the Director of Operations for e-media Direct (www.e-mediadirect.com), a full-service investor relations firm located in Winter Park, FL. He has five years of experience in the marketing and financial industries. He has worked with close to 100 publicly-traded companies on a multitude of projects, including website designs, press releases, and marketing campaigns. You can contact him at: rmarvel@e-mediadirect.com or 866.284.2835.
DISCLAIMER: This article written by e-media Direct, with the expressed permission of its client (SMWF), and the information and research contained herein do not represent a recommendation of investment advice to buy or sell stocks or any financial instrument nor is it intended as an endorsement of any security or investment. Neither e-media direct (including the author) can assess, verify, or guarantee the suitability of any particular investment to any personal situation and the reader of this article bears complete responsibility for its own investment research and should seek the advice of a qualified investment professional prior to making any investment decisions. This article and any sponsoring websites are provided solely for informational purposes, and they do not constitute an offer or solicitation to buy or sell any securities. All opinions expressed and information and data provided herein are subject to change without notice. e-media Direct and their respective officers, directors, employees and/or associated entities, including the author, may have positions in and may from time to time make purchases or sales of the securities discussed or mentioned in this article. e-media Direct, Inc. has been compensated by a third party consultant ten thousand dollars in cash. In exchange for this compensation, SMWF will receive investor relations services, this written article and promotion of this article on e-media Direct websites, other non-e-media Direct sponsoring websites and various media forums.
