Twitter is about to reveal a Geolocation service to their mobile device Apps. According to FastCompany: ”The ability to pinpoint your location will happen automatically within the Tweet’s code.” The App has an ‘opt-in’ feature, which is a good thing if you want to remain under a cloak of Twitter-invisibility – potentially bad thing is you forget to opt-out when finished using it.
I for one don’t want anybody and everybody knowing exactly where I am if I happen to be tweeting around town while doing errands, etc, especially the guy trying to break into my house.
But as a traveler in unfamiliar territory – you betcha. Might be a great way to meet new tweeps as well.
TARGETED OPPORTUNITY FOR CVB’s
It would seem this feature has some promise for marketers, specifically CVB’s, attractions, or anything tourist relevant. See a newbie pop up with a nearby coord asking about a good restaurant? @reply them a.s.a.p. Although it may seem a little Big Brother-ish, to a lost visitor it might be received as a welcome relief that someone found THEM.
And who knows what the future may hold. Twitter may someday install location-based ad opportunities.
What do you think: Big Brother, gold-mine, or disaster waiting to happen?
