Archive for the ‘GPS’ Category
Monday, March 21st, 2011
79% of U.S. mobile phone users have used their smart phones for shopping assistance. It’s not the future any longer. It’s now. You need a mobile strategy.
And Google has just released some mobile strategy starting points. And the first part of that strategy is making sure you’re up to date with your local media directories. Google Places. Yelp. Etc. Make sure your page is persuasive and current, and that any negative reviews have been responded to in an apologetic way. If you advertise, make one of your click-through conversions a click-to-call. It’s still not that fun to browse on a mobile device. And turning a search into a personal conversation can be a great and immediately successful strategy.
Also, make sure you utilize commercial deals via FourSquare and more. Make it easy and compelling for a walk-by to pick you over the next guy.
Tags: Foursquare, Google, google-places, local-business-advertising, mobile-marketing, yelp.com
Posted in GPS, Google, Smartphones, mobile-marketing | No Comments »
Thursday, March 17th, 2011
Well, it had a 5-year run. Straight in to the ground. After starting 5 years behind.
Microsoft has announced that they will no longer be releasing new Zune devices. Instead, they are turning Zune into a smartphone app. This sounds very similar to the path Garmin is taking with their GPS devices. And they were, in fact, the industry leader. But now, with free Google Maps software on your smartphone, the role of an expensive GPS no longer makes too much sense. And yet, Garmin is selling extraordinarily expensive mobile apps via iPhone and Android.
I totally understand the desire for these companies to hold on for dear life. But I also think they need to understand when they’re dead.
Tags: android, garmin, google-maps, iphone, ipod, Microsoft, mobile-marketing, zune
Posted in Apple, GPS, Smartphones, android, mobile-marketing | No Comments »
Tuesday, March 15th, 2011
With the clear benefits of geo check-in still escaping many businesses, Foursquare hopes to remedy that and keep hold of the market lead with their release of Foursquare 3.0.
This new version of the Foursquare mobile app has some new social features. “Explore” gives you local suggestions based on your previous place visits and friend recommendations. There is also a new point system, to encourage one-upping your friends and checking in to more places.
But the really interesting are the ones targeted for business owners. There are now six different kinds of specials you can offer your customers to get them not only to come in, but to check-in, and share your visit with their friends. This is what businesses have been waiting for to get on-board. Ease of creating accounts. And the ease of seeing the benefits. I think we’re there.
Tags: android, Foursquare, foursquare-3.0, gps-check-in, iphone, mobile-app, mobile-marketing
Posted in GPS, Smartphones, Social Media, android, mobile-marketing | No Comments »
Friday, March 11th, 2011
You’ve been hearing all the gurus talk about it for a year now. “Things are moving local.” They’re using the phrase “hyper-local” in ways you don’t understand.
So, what’s it all mean? Simply that in an increasingly mobile world, your company being indexed in local searches is a must if you rely on local traffic. Ok. So, there are a lot of local indexes. And a lot of people calling me telling me to work with them in order to get listed in Google Maps, Mapquest, Yelp and more.
Here’s the reality. You need to be in those indexes. But you probably don’t need “them” to do it. Because this isn’t secret society stuff. You have control over your information in the indexes that matter. So just go check out your listing in the following 10 places and make sure they’re accurate. And if they don’t have you listed, add yourself. Now there are search engine optimization efforts that can maximize your local business success. But step 1 you can do all on your own.
Google local business listings. Foursquare. Yelp. Mapquest. Facebook Places. Citysearch. Navteq. Where. And Truvo.
Tags: Citysearch, facebook-places, Foursquare, Google, local-business-advertising, local-searches, mapquest, Navteq, Search-Engine-Optimization, Truvo, Where, yelp
Posted in GPS, Google, Search-Engine-Optimization, Smartphones, Social Media, facebook, local advertising, mobile-marketing | No Comments »
Monday, March 7th, 2011
After hearing non-stop about QR codes for the past year, get used to the buzzword that is “augmented reality.” This technology lets you use your smartphone to virtually interact with reality. We’ve talked about it in January with eBay’s Fashion App. The idea that you can “try on” sunglasses from home. You choose your frames, and the product interacts with your body. You turn your head, the sunglasses move on your body.
It’s awesome. And like always, every marketer in the world is trying to figure out how to utilize it with their service. But here’s the reality. It probably doesn’t make sense for you. It might. But probably not. After all, the sunglasses application is a perfect one. And yet, it’s one of the only perfect ones.
In reality, pardon the pun, augmented reality is probably going to evolve into 3D mobile gaming. Games that take place within your real world. Animated creatures that pop out behind your couch when you’re viewing the couch through your smartphone in your living room. Bonus coins that you can only obtain in certain geo-locations.
This isn’t only cool. But it makes sense. And that’s where you have to look when you’re trying to see the future.
Tags: 3d-mobile-gaming, augmented-reality, mobile-marketing, QR-codes, Smartphones
Posted in GPS, Smartphones, android, mobile-marketing | No Comments »
Friday, February 4th, 2011
When Facebook Places came out, many thought that it would quickly surpass FourSquare as the premier geo-location tool in the market. But, we may have over-estimated the desire for geo-location in general. After the initial fad ran out, the pure utilitarian value of the tool didn’t seem to create enough virality.
But with Facebook Deals and other crowd-sourcing and crowd-couponing add-ons being added, Google Latitude is finally getting into the game. Built in with the Android phone, Google Latitude is hoping to add enough social layers to this tool to jump out into the geo-location lead. And with Android phones now becoming the most popular mobile operating system in the world, maybe it could happen? But after being wrong about Facebook Places, we’re playing it safe and saying that geo check-ins aren’t ever going to be as big as they seem cool.
Tags: android, facebook-places, Foursquare, google-latitude, mobile-marketing
Posted in GPS, Google, Smartphones, Social Media, android, facebook, mobile-marketing | No Comments »
Thursday, January 13th, 2011
One of the first major restaurant chains to delve into the location-based rewards game, Carl’s Jr and Hardee’s now let their customers earn rewards for checking in at their restaurant locations.
The Happy Star Rewards app, available for iPhone and Android, allows you to take a spin on “The Wheel of Awesome” on your first and fourth checkins, giving you the chance to win discounted and free menu items, gift cards and merchandise. The more you check in, the higher the potential value per spin on The Wheel of Awesome.
So why use a proprietary app? Carl’s Jr felt that they could control fraud-protection by creating their own app. But that meant outfitting 3,000 stores with POP-displays and software to enable the check-ins. And that’s a big initial cost to warrant. But if their numbers respond in the same way McDonalds did when testing a Foursquare check-in solution last year (33% increase), you can bet a lot more company’s are going to join them.
Tags: android, carl's-jr, Foursquare, happy-star-rewards-app, hardee's, iphone, local-business-advertising, location-based-rewards, mcdonalds, mobile-marketing
Posted in Apple, GPS, Smartphones, android, local advertising, mobile-marketing | No Comments »
Thursday, January 13th, 2011
Now we’re getting to the really useful features of geolocation. Your friend calls you up and says, you wouldn’t believe who I saw at Barnes & Noble last night. Eddie Vedder! He was doing a CD signing, and I didn’t even know about it. You’re incredibly disappointed and vow that will never happen again.
Flowd is a geolocation app hoping to facilitate connections between fans and bands. Now, the idea behind Flowd is that it would serve as a Foursquare equivalent for use at a show. The band would plug in there concert tour into Google Maps. And then you can check in to the local venue. Connect with other people there. Make comments, etc. Why doesn’t this just become a FourSquare feature rather than a separate application? Yeah, good point. It probably will.
But I think there’s a huge benefit here for celebrities we’re not seeing. Let’s say you and your band feel like going bowling. “Pearl Jam” just checked in to Lucky Lanes in DuBuque, Iowa.
All your local fans who follow you rush to the bowling alley for a quick meet and bowl with the band. It’s a fan appreciation surprise party, made possible through geolocation.
Tags: flowd, geolocation-app, local-business-advertising, pearl-jam, social-media-marketing
Posted in GPS, Smartphones, Social Media, local advertising | No Comments »
Tuesday, January 4th, 2011
GPS check-in sites can let you know when you’re stuck somewhere, unknowingly with a friend nearby to help you pass the time. But let’s say you’re stuck somewhere with no friend in site?
Planely, a new social network for travelers, aims at helping you find a short-term friend while stuck in a terminal during transit. You simply log on to the site, or connect via Facebook and enter your flight details. And you’ll instantly see other travelers with a similar flight itinerary. If someone looks interesting, you can make an arrangement to meet up…or I supposed you could simply look around the terminal and try to find the person yourself?
I’m having a hard time seeing how this could catch on, though. If you’re not traveling alone, you wouldn’t be this bored. And unless your flight is delayed, is there really that much free time to make a new friend? At best, Planely is going to become a weird hookup site for frequent business travelers.
Tags: gps-check-in, planely, social-media-marketing
Posted in GPS, Social Media | No Comments »
