News & Insights

Location, Location, Location!

That's right, it's all about location nowadays but hasn't it always been? The rapid rise of proximity-based marketing or location-based marketing (take your pick) is validating the old axiom of location, location, location.

Four Square is one of the more popular mobile apps that allows people to "check-in" to businesses, mingle with friends, make new friends and possibly get some good deals. But before you could say Rich Internet App three times, we have the big guys, Facebook and Google jumping on the bandwagon with their services. Both use the term "Places" as in Facebook Places and Google Places. So original guys.

Offshoots of services utilizing location marketing are rapidly appearing on the scene. What will this all mean? Probably a little too much choice for a while where it will be hard to justify using a new location-based service that does not have much participation from users or sponsors. Services that fill a specific niche or region though can get a quick jump on the game.

How useful or harmful will these new apps and services be? It is still to early to tell but I do see it perpetuating the rising "deal culture" as I will now officially coin the term for people like myself. Hey, I'm not shy about using a coupon for my local Baja Fresh so I can feed my family of four for under $20. I think there's some value there, what do you think? :)