Comments on: Location Based Services Still Searching For A Market http://mobhappy.com/blog1/2007/08/20/location-based-services-still-searching-for-a-market/ Russell Buckley and Carlo Longino on mobile technology. Tue, 22 May 2012 09:13:00 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.2 By: ScottD http://mobhappy.com/blog1/2007/08/20/location-based-services-still-searching-for-a-market/comment-page-1/#comment-115726 ScottD Wed, 22 Aug 2007 16:47:02 +0000 http://mobhappy.com/blog1/2007/08/20/location-based-services-still-searching-for-a-market/#comment-115726 I think you're right that LBS in terms of how most people think about it (carriers, handsets that are location aware, spam-like offers when you are near things) has a lot of limitations. There are so many roadblocks with that model it's hard to see how to get through it from the business side. But we've found seen and found some success in niche applications. When you see a text message short code on a billboard that is clearly tied to that billboard, that is LBS in a way. It adds measurement capabilities to an otherwise unmeasurable outdoor media, and that is often the role of digital innovation. Similarly, we have found success in text messaging to search a shopping mall. The context of a "mall" is easy to understand, and we can then send ads based on location, time, and what they are searching for. So if they searched for "coffee", they might get a starbucks ad, but not otherwise. As long as the offer is contextual in terms of place, time, and intent, there is a good response. We have 1,000 new users/day with the mall search application, and no need to develop for LBS-enabled handsets. Rethink the model and LBS has a future. Stay in the arms of carriers and GSP handsets, and you'll find the same dead end everyone else has. Great post! SD I think you’re right that LBS in terms of how most people think about it (carriers, handsets that are location aware, spam-like offers when you are near things) has a lot of limitations. There are so many roadblocks with that model it’s hard to see how to get through it from the business side.

But we’ve found seen and found some success in niche applications. When you see a text message short code on a billboard that is clearly tied to that billboard, that is LBS in a way. It adds measurement capabilities to an otherwise unmeasurable outdoor media, and that is often the role of digital innovation.

Similarly, we have found success in text messaging to search a shopping mall. The context of a “mall” is easy to understand, and we can then send ads based on location, time, and what they are searching for. So if they searched for “coffee”, they might get a starbucks ad, but not otherwise. As long as the offer is contextual in terms of place, time, and intent, there is a good response. We have 1,000 new users/day with the mall search application, and no need to develop for LBS-enabled handsets.

Rethink the model and LBS has a future. Stay in the arms of carriers and GSP handsets, and you’ll find the same dead end everyone else has.

Great post!

SD

]]> By: Mike http://mobhappy.com/blog1/2007/08/20/location-based-services-still-searching-for-a-market/comment-page-1/#comment-115602 Mike Wed, 22 Aug 2007 09:52:58 +0000 http://mobhappy.com/blog1/2007/08/20/location-based-services-still-searching-for-a-market/#comment-115602 Hi Carlo, I see your points exactly on LBS applications but I feel there is a market for a consumer focused "118" style navigation service using the LBS technology my company has had for years. Our hinderance is payment methods, simple as that, we can't collect a payment per call for a small enough amount to make the service attractive hence were forced to use a prepayment (huge barrier to use) system and the navigation to consumers product has been mothballed in favour of more commercial Business services. Which is a real shame, it is network greed that is constricting entrepeneurship in this sector. Please feel free to contact me with any helpful suggestions. Mike(at)telephonedirections.com Hi Carlo,

I see your points exactly on LBS applications but I feel there is a market for a consumer focused “118″ style navigation service using the LBS technology my company has had for years.

Our hinderance is payment methods, simple as that, we can’t collect a payment per call for a small enough amount to make the service attractive hence were forced to use a prepayment (huge barrier to use) system and the navigation to consumers product has been mothballed in favour of more commercial Business services. Which is a real shame, it is network greed that is constricting entrepeneurship in this sector.
Please feel free to contact me with any helpful suggestions. Mike(at)telephonedirections.com

]]>