Mobile Social Networks like FourSquare are actually suggestion engines
You understand the term search engine, you search for the thing you want. But what if you don’t really know what you want?
What if what you want is the location of a place close to you that serves up great thai food? You can’t use Google to find that, because it will return many things if you search thai food.
You can use Google Maps though, because Google Maps is a suggestion engine. So is FourSquare, Gowalla, and Yelp.
Yes, you can turn to Facebook and post “where can I get good thai”, and hope you get suggestions, or you can turn to places with reviews (suggestions) already in place for many of the locations around your house.
Additionally, if you make the search on your mobile, with location turned on, it will give you the closest places, then offer walking, biking or driving directions.
Anyway, that’s the gist of my new presentation on Suggestion Engines (below). I’m doing one a day for the next ten days, so have fun.
In my opinion, brands need to stop thinking about offers and loyalty, and begin to think about how suggestion engines can help increase traffic.
Here it is, let me know what you think.
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Great post Matt. I have never heard of suggestion engines, but they make perfect sense.
Thanks AJ,
Yesterday google purchased Zagat. I suspect it will make Google Places a better suggestion engines, since Zagat is the suggestion leader.
GREAT content! Didn’t see a way to follow you on twitter in viewing this on my mobil. Please advise! Thank-You! Rhonda Dorris
http://twitter.com/mhames
This article is in fact a good one it helps new net people,
who are wishing in favor of blogging.