5 Working Ideas for Location-Based Apps

Royce Calvin

October 22, 2019

Location-based mobile apps represent a great way for businesses to provide value to users while serving certain communities. They have become more popular as users started to show an increased interest in local businesses. We’ll show you a few examples of location based app development in this article to help you capitalize on this on-growing trend.

Retail

The use of geolocation tracking by huge retailing brands such as Walmart and Target is not something uncommon. They are aiming to enhance the shopping experience by using GPS data. Thus, users can find the nearest store to them, or determine the best location for pickup and delivery of goods.

Certain retailers go as far as guiding their customers inside the store. Goods delivery services are a big part of the location-based retailing apps. They often allow users to track the location of their goods in real-time. This can be highly useful as it provides users with essential data.

mobile app
Photo by Saulo Mohana on Unsplash

On-demand services

Closely related to delivery, on-demand services also make good use of GPS functions. Uber is one of the most popular businesses of this kind. This on-demand transportation app relies solely on GPS to pair passengers with nearby drivers. The customers are also able to monitor their taxi in real-time both while waiting but also while inside the car.

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Based on the location data, Uber also generates accurate time estimations. Such apps are very useful for customers looking to find a nearby local business and to obtain their needed goods.

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Fitness

If you show a basic interest in outdoor sports activities then you’re most certainly aware of the location-based fitness apps. Real-time geolocation tracking is often present in running/cycling apps like Strava, Runtastic or Nike+. By connecting to your GPS, these apps can track your movements and map your running routes.

Location-based fitness apps go as far as figuring out your speed just by tracking your live location. They can even let you connect with friends and local communities in a live manner while running.

mobile phone user

Travel

Every booking app has a map view mode that allows users to check out the nearby area in real-time. Being able to find hotels in your location is very helpful when traveling. Apps like Booking and Airbnb offer localization as well as directions when trying to find a hotel or any other hosting place.

Social Media

The usage of geolocation tracking in social media to build a sense of community with your friends is not something unusual anymore. Apps like Instagram and Snapchat have a map view that allows users to connect with nearby friends while checking out their live location. Users can even use geotags generated by GPS on their posts. Dating apps can go as far as connecting strangers based on their current location.

Conclusion

Location-based apps are becoming an ever-increasing trend as the people’s desire for building a community is growing. Such apps allow users to interact with nearby businesses or real humans by utilizing the live GPS data generated by phones. Building such an app as a local business is not as hard as it looks like. The five ideas mentioned above have been proven to work over and over again, and they can generate results for you as well.

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Author
Royce Calvin
Royce is a seasoned expert in Internet marketing, online business strategy, and web design, with over two decades of hands-on experience creating, managing, and optimizing websites that generate real results. As a long-time freelancer and digital entrepreneur, he has helped countless businesses grow their online presence, drive traffic, and turn websites into income-generating assets. His deep knowledge spans SEO, content marketing, affiliate programs, monetization tactics, and user-centered design. When he's not exploring the latest trends in digital marketing, you’ll likely find him refining a client’s site—or enjoying his signature cup of Starbucks coffee.

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