Twitter has collaborated with Pitney Bowes in a multi-year licensing agreement to develop location intelligence solutions for mobile platforms.
The deal provides the micro-blogging social network with geocoding and reverse geocoding options to establish precise location data using a smartphone's GPS signal.
Pitney Bowes says Twitter will use its location intelligence technology "to support location sharing in tweets" - but only at the user's discretion. "The opt-in feature will allow Twitter users to selectively share their location in Tweets," says a statement released this week.
This flexibility addresses privacy concerns around publishing people's movements without their consent.
Pitney Bowes SA business development manager Leon van der Merwe highlights user preference as a key component of the product. "On the data side, things are secure and a lot of effort went into the development of the product."
Van der Merwe says its impact is yet to be seen, but described the move as a "big step going forward".
"Marketing goldmine"
Pitney Bowes punts its product as a potential marketing goldmine for its capacity to reach customers with "targeted, personalised local insights that maximise engagement and sales".
Fuseware MD Mike Wronski describes the move as a "big play" for Twitter in its quest to boost advertising revenue, while business could also cash in. "This has tremendous potential for brick-and-mortar retailers and shops, restaurants, nightspots and virtually any business tied to a physical location."
SA could be well-suited for this, according to Wronski. "SA has over six million Twitter users with over 80% using Twitter from their phones and tablets.
"The big retailers are already running promoted campaigns on Twitter, and geo-targeting takes it to the next level for them," he adds.
Senior VP and GM of location intelligence for Pitney Bowes, James Buckley, is optimistic about the prospects of the deal. "We bring 90 years of privacy and security experience around address data. This has proved to be a considerable asset, as we deliver precise geocoding solutions to social mobile platforms," he says.
Share