#geolocal

There is an "analytics gap" facing professionals in local marketing:

Analytics on local presence in desktop search are pretty well established, with a range of offerings from free lookup tools to deeper analyses of listing accuracy, reviews, social mentions, and the like.

But we have no equivalent today for mobile search, though I imagine there are startups working to solve this problem as we speak.

I’ve been paying attention to a few focused offerings that show promise for growth in this space, such as the new Perch app from Closely which lets businesses track the promotional activity of local competitors."

I am a big believer in geo-local.

I don’t know exactly how it is going to be used or who is going to win that space.

I just know that there is nothing more real than where you have been. 

I can tell my facebook friends that I love yoga, or gallery hopping, or supporting co-ops.

However, if I don’t go to yoga in two months or have only been to a co-op once, then I am just trying to be cool.

We are where we go. 

To know where a person spends their time is to know them.

This knowledge combined with the social graph give companies a profound opportunity to win potential customers.

We follow our friends, the people we trust.

If my friend Giacomo goes to a spot a lot, I am much more likely to try it.

If I am a brick and mortar establishment I want every person who walks into my door to foursquare or facebook place that they are in my spot. (And I would give them every incentive to do so).

I can fool you by liking your facebook page. I can fool you becoming your friend. I can fool you by following you on twitter.

I can't fool you by checking into your shop, by visiting your restaurant, by going to your event.

Now I am real advocate for what you do and not just a meaningless number.

I have done something.

I have shared it.

I am involved.