Small businesses (SMEs) connect with millions of local customers on their smartphones and computers by using online platforms like Google Places, Facebook Places and Yellow Pages online. It’s what allows them to target you as you walk by their business and get you to download a coupon, read their menu, go to their event and so on.
The challenge for the SMEs is keeping track of and updating all of these platforms to ensure their business information is accurate and accessible. Enter MaRS client, Locationary.
In the “old days”, a simple phone call to the local directory publisher would ensure anyone in your local area could find you. Not anymore! Today, customers may never find you if you’re not on one or all of the aforementioned platforms.
And how does the customer know your business information is correct? How many of us have used these digital platforms to find a local business only to arrive at the location and it’s moved or closed? It’s no secret publishers have a major challenge in ensuring the data they purchase or create is accurate. In fact, they spend millions each year obtaining data from major data houses (Acxiom, Localeze and InfoUSA).
MaRS client, Locationary (The World’s Place Database™), solves these challenges by crowd-sourcing accurate data which is distributed via search, mobile and web.
Following on the footsteps of Foursquare’s announcement about their “venue harmonization” this week, Business Insider posted this article suggesting that Locationary’s already got the market covered, “Hey Foursquare, with Locationary is your ‘Rosetta Stone’ necessary?“. Setting them apart is their community-driven focus on “finding and fixing errors in local business data and building deep, quality profiles.” Locationary brings together editors and developers to update the information across all platforms and all local directories. They help keep local information relevant for consumers, while providing a one-stop-shop for SMEs to update all their information and have it distributed. It’s data-cleaning. By the cloud.
Do you have a business or idea which will helps solve major consumer or business challenges such as Locationary’s business? Become a MaRS client or just learn more about how our advisors can help you. (For free!)