Location Based Applications Could Be An Untapped Market. Have You Checked in Yet?

Mobile applications like Foursquare could be one of the hottest tech trends coming down the pipeline these days. What?s really intriguing about this is that most people still have not taken them for a spin yet. At least that?s what a report from Pew Research Center's Internet & American Life Project says.

According to the report only 4 percent of online adults use a service such as Foursquare or Gowalla that allows them to share their location with friends and to find others who are nearby. On any given day, 1 percent of Internet users are using these services.

Here are some other interesting facts on the report:
? 7 percent of adults who go online with their mobile phone use a location-based service.
? 8 percent of online adults ages 18-29 use location-based services, significantly more than online adults in any other age group.
? 10 percent of online Hispanics use these services ? significantly more than online whites (3%) or online blacks (5%).
? 6 percent of online men use a location-based service such as Foursquare or Gowalla, compared with 3 percent of online women.


In the past couple of years, as Web-enabled phones have become more popular, place-based apps have been among the most buzzed-about features in the tech world.

The idea is to let friends know what you're up to, theoretically so you can meet up. Most also have game elements, such as earning virtual rewards or, as on Foursquare, earning a title such as "mayor" of a location if you check in there more than anyone else. This could be a great marketing tool for local search marketers who are trying to create brand awareness for a client.

So far Foursquare has been the leader is the location-based realm. The application has reached over 4 million users. That?s up from just half a million over the spring. That number alone should tell you just how fast these apps are growing popularity. Gowalla has put itself square in Foursquare?s path as it?s major rivial.

There are some other apps out there trying to carve out their own spot in the location based mobile app world. To name a few a Get Blue and Miso who look to expand on this concept to include TV, movies and other entertainment options.

Something to consider is that younger mobile phone users are among the most likely to use these apps. Which really isn?t that surprising but the takeaway from this is if your trying to reach users who are looking for a retirement center your probably not going to reach to many people. It seems the biggest winners are going to be bars and restaurants at least for now.

A Pew report in September suggested that fewer than one in four adults who have phones that run mobile apps use any of them.

What?s exciting is that this is such an untapped market. If you are running a location based search-marketing campaign or a social media campaign now is the time to jump on the bandwagon. This has the potential to reach a bunch of younger users who are most likely searching for something to buy and tell their friends about it. That right there should be enough to get any local search marketer excited.