What Twitter Places Could Mean for Local Search

Last month, Twitter announced a new feature known as Twitter Places.  Now, when you tweet a message, you have the option to add your location, which will come in the form of a link below the tweet box.

In 2009, Twitter rolled out the opt-in Tweet Your Location service, which took information from your phone’s GPS or if you were using a computer or non-GPS wireless device, your location would be based on your IP address.  Twitter Places is supposed to take this location feature to the next level by giving users the ability to specify points of interest, as well.  It has been likened to other location services, such as Foursquare and GoWalla.

According to Twitter, you “can tag tweets with specific places...and create new Twitter Places.”  One article posted on CNN.com, “Twitter Places: Good potential for local search – and for bloopers,” mentioned that there is a compass icon next to the text entry field when Twitter Places is enabled. When you click on the icon, it pulls up a map of recent tweets that have occurred nearby.

While Twitter Places is still getting started and hasn’t gained a lot of attention yet, many have wondered about its impact on local search.  One question that has been raised since the unveiling of Twitter Places is if services, such as this one, will get more local businesses interested in mobile advertising.

Local search is important for businesses, especially as more and more people are using their mobile phones to locate products and services. To find out how you can incorporate Twitter into your attorney SEO campaign, order the free report, Twitter for Attorneys.