I am always keen to research and review a new industry trend or topic, therefore, I wanted to draw your attention to a new kid on the social media block – Geomium!
With over 550 million users, Facebook is undisputedly the cream of the crop, but a relatively small British online networking start-up believes that it can take on the giant and some experts are inclined to agree.
Although Geomium has clearly taken inspiration from both Facebook Places and Foursquare, the company believe it is bringing something new to the table. Michael Ferguson, CEO of Geomium, feels that it is going further in offering clients better usability than either of its two larger competitors. He believes that Facebook is not meant to serve as a geo locator site, while Foursquare is missing some key elements that tech savvy users are looking for.
Drawing data from Yelp, Qype and Eventful, the new location service has the advantage of launching with an established collection of useful features. Often the hardest part of starting one of these services is accruing the necessary base of initial users.
It aims to provide a better user experience by not only offering basic information on each user’s location, but by also putting them in contact with other people in their area who share their interests, as well as providing them with useful consumer information on products or services nearby that match their interests and needs.
Geomium’s users can track down locations where their friends have left public messages, called “shouts.” Additionally, the new website allows users to view similar messages – often in the form of tips – from people who may not be friends, but who either live in the area or may share similar interests.
Geomium is currently only available for iPhone, but the app is coming soon to Android, Blackberry, Nokia, and other Smartphones. The London launch yesterday will be followed by launches in other UK cities by early 2011. European and United States launches re planned to come shortly after that.
Some forecasted that Facebook’s entry into the market, with Places, would shatter all the hopes of any budding startups and diminish further growth of even the most established services, like Foursquare, but tech experts believe that Geomium may have an edge over its competition in that it is more business-friendly. So, let’s watch this space….
