360DigitalInfluence

This is the final post in a five-part series exploring the trends laid out in our webinar, Facebook Bootcamp for PR. Look out in the coming weeks for some interesting updates to the original presentation!

One of the oft sited benefits of Facebook is its ability to keep us connected to friends and family who may be thousands of miles away, but there is a missed opportunity to better connect with the friends and fans in our own backyard. That’s why we’ve identified geolocation and mapping as a Facebook trend we’d love to see blossom in the near future. A hat tip to Trendwatching.com is due here- they’re January piece on Mapmania was an inspiration to notice all of the ways that virtual maps make daily life easier and with maps and social networks both growing in use on mobile phones, the two trends must eventually intersect.

There are already some good uses of maps on Facebook: you can know link Google maps to all your event posting, you can grab the uber-popular Where Have You Been? App, you can map the H1N1 virus,  and Yahoo’s Friends on Fire app,-which competes with Google latitude or Twitter depending on who you ask- keeps you connected to where all your friends are at all times. But last month Facebook began to phase out regional networks which suggests a move away from the possibilities that a hyper-local Facebook could offer.

The most obvious evolution for Facebook maps would be further partnerships with networks like Foursquare or local service sites like Yelp! but there are also possibilities for creative brands to get in on this trend, even using the existing map options. The current Beermapping project would be a great opportunity if partnered with a premier brew or an organization of microbreweries, and with the instant notifications of networks like Foursquare you can imagine Facebook groups or fan pages being tapped for flash mobs or Tweet-ups in major markets. There are also possibilities for local civic organizations and local businesses to offer local guides and useful applications connected to Facebook fan pages.

Have you seen any awesome geolocation applications on Facebook lately? Any ideas?