As we all know Twitter adopters continue to multiple. I’ve found a number of new Social Media rising stars. What will be the next rising giant or should I say bird! I
The 6 Social Media Sites You Should Explore – They are certainly leading the new social media revolution
Firstly, Foursquare – Ever heard of the term, ‘location, location, location’!? Well this is a location-based social network/gaming application that is gaining ground. Members or Users “check in†at local businesses and earn rewards for frequently visiting participating establishments.
Currently, the site is receiving greater than 1 million check-ins per week. Business owners can get value out of Foursquare by offering incentives for users to check in, such as special offers for repeat visitors. There is also the ability to be crowned Mayor of an establishment!
i.e: What is the definition of a deal? One example, is a a free drink or appetizer or starter dish for the Foursquare user who checks in the most (Its the user who is called / hailed the Mayor).
Interestingly, this company has signed major partnerships with TV network Bravo and restaurant guide to functionality and usage.
In the video above, you can see Dennis Crowley, co-founder of Foursquare. Here he discusses the goals of this location-based social networking application.
Gowalla – According to Wikipedia: Gowalla is a location-based social-networking game created by Alamofire. Users ‘check-in’ at Spots in their local vicinity, either through a dedicated mobile application or through the mobile website. As a reward users will sometimes receive items from check-ins. Items have developed to become a promotional tool for the game’s partners e.g. Incase. As of March 2010 there were approximately 150,000 active users.
Rummble – Similar to the latter, the concept of trust and ratings is introduced. For example, their website suggests:
It is a bit like your social network, but based upon trust (or lack of) in peoples recommendations so you can discover cool stuff from thousands of people, not just friends or immediate trusted connections. Rummbling is really easy online or from your mobile phone.  Its the best to Rummble when you’re actually at a place you love or loath, then you can add a photo & if you want, share it straight away on Twitter, Facebook, Bebo or more…
Google Buzz – Buzz allows users to post status updates and upload pictures and videos to a Google profile, not unlike Facebook and Twitter. A user’s network is formed by contacts they interact with frequently on Gmail. If a user makes an update public, the information also gets added to the “Buzz†layer now available on Google mobile maps. Now, Google Maps users on iPhones and Android devices can view the things other Buzz users have said about businesses in the area.
Loopt – This is another location-based social service. It aims to connect its users with their friends by visually displaying their location and availability on a localized map. Users can connect with friends in the area, see reviews and recommendations of restaurants, and find events in the area that might be of interest. Businesses have tapped into Loopt’s location data to offer targeted promotions. Loopt is already accessible on more than 100 mobile phones and currently used by about 3 million people, giving it the widest distribution of any of the location-based services.
Blippy – Blippy aims to connect people around the purchases they make. I guess people will need to be very careful about what they say or what could be misconstrued! Blippy publishes the amount and location of customer purchases, with user permission -that the rest of the community can then react to.
Groupon – This site offers “collective buying power†by providing deals to groups of people who buy products and services in bulk from participating retailers. The site uses social networking to get users to share offers with their communities, in order to reach the target number of customers the “Groupon†requires to activate.
Businesses could gain exposure and new customers by making offers on the site—if Groupon develops a large following. However, one observation is to take advantage of group discounts you will have to find members with the same interest first. While the revenue from the purchase is helpful, exposing a large group of customers to your product is even more valuable.
This is by no means an inclusive list, only 5 exceptional companies striving to change the social media landscape with fresh ideas.
Which up-and-coming social application are you most excited about? Who did we leave off the list that should have been included? Please leave a comment below…
Other new services include:
http://www.Intent.com
http://www.akoha.com/
http://www.traxo.com/
http://www.socialight.com/
http://www.communike.com/Messages.aspx
http://www.yoink.com/
http://www.wombeat.com/
What about linking Social Media to Augmented Reality!?
Our article and associated videos about the potential of Augmented reality can be found at:
http://www.drsavi.com/opportunities-with-augmented-reality/
The following articles are also fascinating, i.e: The future of social networking – a concept investigation with Augmented Reality & http://imod.co.za/2009/10/01/social-networking-and-the-future/
NB The following mock-up images from the latter, say it all!
Categories: Featured Articles, Futures, Innovation
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