One of the five predictions in my recent 2013 mobile predictions post was that mobile analytics and measurement would get a seat at the "adult table" this year. In particular, one of the areas in which I am seeing tremendous growth is location-based listening and analytics. As more and more companies adapt a listening strategy -- in many cases, using advanced tools like Sysomos and Radian6 (now part of Salesforce.com's MarketingCloud) -- some are starting to look at the possibilities of going deeper. During a recent interview with colleague and co-author of Digital Marketing Analytic [...]

Related Topics: Analytics | Channel: Local | Check-In Services | Facebook: Mobile | Foursquare | Mobile Marketing | Mobile Marketing Column

Nearly two years ago, my co-author Mike Schneider and I published a book called Location-Based Marketing for Dummies. At the time, location-based marketing was just getting off the ground in large part thanks to the launch of two services: foursquare and Gowalla. Over the last couple of years, many of the original location-based services have been acquired or have gone out of business. But foursquare still stands in spite of the fact that it still hasn't caught fire like many of us hoped it would. While foursquare has stalled out around 25 million users, it is still a force to be reckone [...]

Related Topics: Analytics | Channel: Local | Check-In Services | Facebook: Mobile | Foursquare | Google: Mobile | How To | Mobile Marketing Column | Statistics: Mobile Marketing | Twitter: Mobile | Yelp

Every year at SXSW Interactive (one of the largest interactive conferences in the world), the question always comes around to which new technology or mobile app will make a big splash. In the past, Twitter (2006) and foursquare (2009) have dominated conversations at the event where more than 100,000 of the world's most social digerati descend upon Austin, TX. Last year, the belles of the ball were three companies -- Sonar, Highlight and banjo -- which introduced the concept of something called a proximity service. The value proposition with this type of service is that if you connect the [...]

Related Topics: Channel: Local | Check-In Services | Facebook: Privacy | Foursquare | Mobile Marketing | Mobile Marketing Column | Twitter: Mobile

At this point, you may be predictioned out. But, if you can make room for one more post about what mobile marketing holds in store for 2013 (U.S. focus), I promise to make it worth your while. Mobile has started to play a huge role in marketing over the last couple of years, and this year will be no different. In fact, I am going to be so bold as to say that this is the year that mobile finally breaks out and has that hero moment that prognosticators have been talking about for the last 10-12 years. Before I dig into my five predictions though, it is probably worth looking at a little ba [...]

Related Topics: Channel: Local | Check-In Services | Facebook: Mobile | Foursquare | Google: Mobile | Mobile Marketing | Mobile Marketing Column | Statistics: Mobile Marketing | Twitter: Mobile | Yahoo: Mobile

Interactive marketing professionals don't just use mobile to reach their customers -- they're often avid users of the technology themselves. Whether it's to manage campaigns, to get work done while on the go, or just to become personally familiar with mobile user behavior, getting to know your devices and apps is critical. But when it comes to separating the wheat from the chaff for business mobile apps, it's hard to know which are duds and which are the real deal. Doing a Google search tends to bring up a lot of old posts -- many of which are outdated -- or lists that focus on consumer or [...]

Related Topics: Apple: iPhone | Channel: Local | Check-In Services | Facebook: Mobile | Marketing Land Monthly | Mobile Marketing Column

For once in my life, I hope I am wrong. But I don't think I am. Over the last three years, check-in and local search start-up Foursquare has become the face of location-based services. And while the app has gained a lot of traction among those that run in the social crowds, it has only grown to 25 million members. It sounds absurd for me to be using the words "only" and "25 million" in the same sentence, but, given the growth of image sharing/location-based app, Instagram -- zero to 80 million in a little under two years -- it feels like Foursquare may not gain the traction is needs to b [...]

Related Topics: Channel: Local | Check-In Services | Foursquare | Google: Google+ | Google: Mobile | Mobile Marketing | Mobile Marketing Column

The number of Americans using check-in services has more than doubled in the past nine months according to a new Pew Research Center study. Pew's Internet & American Life Project surveyed more than 2,200 adults earlier this year and found that the use of geosocial services -- such as Foursquare and Gowalla* -- to check-in and/or share location information rose from four percent of all adults last May to 10 percent in February. And the increased usage of check-in services isn't just happening among smartphone users. Usage among that group is up from 12 to 18 percent, but regular cellphone [...]

Related Topics: Channel: Local | Check-In Services | Foursquare | Statistics: Mobile Marketing | Statistics: Online Behavior | Statistics: Popularity & Usage | Top News

Flickr co-founder Caterina Fake's new startup Pinwheel is very interesting -- but it's not an original idea. In fact it's an idea that has been unsuccessfully tried by at least two startups in the past (Socialight and Flook). The central concept is that you can leave public or private geotagged notes that are associated with real-world places and can be discovered by others. Fake explains in her blog post: On Pinwheel you can find and leave notes all around the world. The notes can be public or private, shared with an individual, a group or everyone. They can be organized into sets, such a [...]

Related Topics: Channel: Local | Check-In Services | Display Advertising | Findery | Mobile Marketing | Social Media Marketing | Top News | Yahoo: Flickr

While Google will tell you that Latitude has millions of users, what the company doesn't generally talk about is how many of those people are actively engaged with the product. The consensus appears to be that Latitude is languishing. However Mountain View has been tweaking, enhancing and updating Latitude to breathe new life into it. A year ago Google added check-ins to Latitude. In April, 2011 Google added deals to Latitude. Then last week, as widely discussed, Latitude was given a check-ins leaderboard (Android only). As part of that new leaderboard feature users are awarded points fo [...]

Related Topics: Channel: Local | Check-In Services | Google: Android | Google: Google+ | Google: Mobile | Mobile Marketing

Where are you watching the Big Game this year? Last year, that question was a locational where: a Super Bowl party, at home on the sofa or a local watering hole being the expected answer. This year, the "where" is just as likely to be device specific. On a PC? A tablet? Or a Verizon mobile device? All are possibilities. For the first time, this year's Super Bowl won't just be broadcast, it will be streamed with a host of digital extras -- such as real-time stats and multiple camera angle options -- as part of the deal. NBC hasn't announced it yet, but I'm betting there will be a social [...]

Related Topics: Analytics | Channel: Video | Check-In Services | Facebook | Foursquare | Social Media Marketing | Social Media Marketing Column | Video

As expected, Google has officially launched a new "check-in offers" product that connects its Google+ social network with business listings in Google Maps/Places. Mike Blumenthal first reported the check-in offers launch earlier today. A Google Places help page explains how the program connects Google Places with Google+: If your customers have to visit your locations in order to do business with you, you can request that they check-in on Google Maps for Mobile before they redeem your offer. To check in to places, users first sign in to Google+. They can choose to share the check-in publ [...]

Related Topics: Channel: Local | Check-In Services | Google: Mobile | Mobile Marketing | Top News

I spoke with Google representatives at some length last night about the forthcoming Check-in Offers, the unintentional early product "announcement" and some of the confusion around the news. Check-in Offers are an expansion of Google Coupons (renamed Offers) in Google Places. I confirmed with Google that they will be entirely self-provisioned and not sold by Google or its agents. Effectively what's changed or is new here is the option given to the merchant to require a consumer check-in to obtain the discount or offer. Consumers can "check in" on Google Latitude for the iPhone or the Google [...]

Related Topics: Channel: Local | Check-In Services | Features & Analysis | Google: Android | Mobile Marketing | Top News

CNN Monday reported this afternoon that Facebook has bought social cityguide and check-in app Gowalla. Gowalla has a presence in roughly 60 cities globally. It was well-loved by a core of devotees but lost momentum and mindshare to larger rival Foursquare. Gowalla had two million registered users vs. Foursquare's 10 million. Gowalla shifted models a couple of times before returning to being a local recommendation site/app. According to CNN Money, the majority of Gowalla's employees, including its CEO Josh Williams, will move to Facebook's HQ in Palo Alto. The employees will reportedly be [...]

Related Topics: Channel: Local | Check-In Services | Facebook: Acquisitions | Foursquare | Top News