Most Popular Location-based Social Networks
Gartner defines location-based services (LBS) as services that use information about the location of mobile devices, derived from cellular networks, Wi-Fi access points or via satellite links to receivers in (or connected to) the handsets themselves. Examples are services that enable friends to find each other, parents to locate their children, mapping and navigation.
Location-based services may be offered by mobile network carriers or other providers. They are also known as location-aware services. Some of the most popular ones are as follows:
Foursquare
Most recently released data cites 1.2 million users. A significant number of local businesses are participants, with PepsiCo as one of the largest advertisers. Read our April article for more details on Foursquare.
BrightKite
Founded in 2005, BrightKite launched its first big brand program in May this year for Starbucks. The program involves Starbucks-branded badges. Featuring a Facebook-like friend feed, users can upload pictures and comments about where they are and what’s going on. They can log in, check in and let their friends know what they’re doing. BrightKite has 1.5 million users.
MyTown
This monopoly-like game lets users buy real estate by checking in to real-life locations. The service, which has 2.3 million users since its launch in December of 2009, has worked with brands such are H&M, Travel Channel, Olay and Microsoft Windows.
Loopt
Loopt’s community is built on three principles – Connect, Share, and Explore. Loopt turns a mobile phone into a compass. Installing the application allows a map on the phone to be populated with user’s friends’ locations and spots they’ve visited. Loopt has 3.5 million users and is soon expecting to launch a service for retailers who can use the app for loyalty-reward programs.
GyPSii
GyPSii is a location-based network that allows users to upload photos, videos and other information about themselves and then geo-locate this information. Geo- locating is when a user, for example, takes a photo of an ice cream stand, uploads the photo to GyPSii’s service and then adds the GPS location to it. Once everything is tagged and loaded, GyPSii pushes the image out to other users with a location on an online map that lets friends see where the user is and how to find the spot from the photo. GyPSii has over 2 million users.
Gowalla
The service has 250,000 users and focuses on travel. National Geographic and Washington Post have signed up to offer unique content.
GateGuru
A navigational app for airports, it rewards users for checking in to terminals and rating businesses. Since it launched in December of 2009, 125,000 users have signed up. In June, JetBlue will launch a program to reward frequent travelers and point leaders with airline freebies like plane tickets and vouchers.
Citysense
Citysense is a location-based social network of a different kind. Rather than having a friend feed, Citysense populates a map based on the location where people are transmitting a cell phone signal from. Without the need to log-in, users can see where their friends are congregating and instantly get information about what’s happening at a local hot spot. Currently, only BlackBerry users can take advantage of the service, but an iPhone application isn’t far behind. Citysense is available in the city of San Francisco for alpha testing, and will eventually roll out to major metropolitan areas in the US and abroad.
According to Gartner, the rapid increase in LBS users is due to the greater availability of GPS phones, reduced prices and abundance of app stores. What do you think? What is your favorite location-based social network and why?
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Thursday, July 22nd 2010 at 2:53 pm |
Destiny takes a hand.
Sunday, July 25th 2010 at 11:48 pm |
I feel like there is an additional stanza to this quote but it’s escaping me now! Thanks for reading.
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Friday, July 2nd 2010 at 12:34 am |
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Thursday, July 1st 2010 at 2:20 pm |
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Friday, July 2nd 2010 at 12:25 am |
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