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The problem of implementing an app like this is that you need data. How can you gather those information?

by stewie2 14y ago

hoodwink 14y ago
tl;dr: acquire data through crowdsourcing, it will create an awesome edge above and beyond making data acquisition easy The data acquisition could be organic and crowdsourced. For instance, it is possible that some people take pride in their home cities and then would take the time create a "tour" in order to share their unique perspective with outsiders. The motivation for a person to take the time to do this might be as simple as wanting to present's one proud city in the best light. A karma feature would be solid as well. There would still be the "chicken and egg" problem to get content and users, but maybe there is a creative solution for that. This happens on an ad hoc basis all the time. Take me for an example. I'm a long-time Philadelphia resident. When friends or family (or friends thereof) visit the City of Brotherly Love, I'll often get an email, FB message, or call asking, "What should I do when I'm in Philadelphia?" (Unfortunately, I also get "Pat's or Geno's all too often, too) I'll then take 20 minutes to type a message with my "insider" perspective on how to get the most out of a touristy trip. I could do a write-up for this particular service on Philly in 2 minutes just by searching my gmail and finding my last recommendation email. The social/crowdsourced data acquisition could have cool implications. - First, it would be an insider perspective and everyone loves to feel like they experienced the "real deal" instead of scratching the surface of various tourist traps. - Second, rather than having one generic tour for each city, there would be a menu of user-created tours to choose from. I know if my mother were visiting Antwerp, she would have a much different agenda than I would. Therefore, the social aspect of this method would enable a user to filter "tours" by the demographic profile of the "tour guide." I'll look for 20-something "tour guides" who posted activities with an active tilt whereas my mom will look for recommendations on art museums and sites with historic value. Revenue model (long-term) is obvious. Sell advertising. Local businesses can target advertising to a desirable audience: one that is captive and more likely to spend money. Think restaurants, bars, hotels, hostels, rental cars/scooters, entertainment, tourist attractions. With this app, there will be great info on where the tourist plans to go so the advertising will have exceptional value. Obviously the service can't cheapen the value of the "insider info" by drowning a user in ads, but thoughtfully placed ads would probably be tolerable (and effective). I like this idea. I would use it all the time, personally. Let me know if you end up pursuing it and want some help!

The problem of implementing an app like this is that you need data. How can you gather those information?

by stewie2 14y ago

The problem of implementing an app like this is that you need data. How can you gather those information?

tl;dr: acquire data through crowdsourcing, it will create an awesome edge above and beyond making data acquisition easy The data acquisition could be organic and crowdsourced. For instance, it is possible that some people take pride in their home cities and then would take the time create a "tour" in order to share their unique perspective with outsiders. The motivation for a person to take the time to do this might be as simple as wanting to present's one proud city in the best light. A karma feature would be solid as well. There would still be the "chicken and egg" problem to get content and users, but maybe there is a creative solution for that. This happens on an ad hoc basis all the time. Take me for an example. I'm a long-time Philadelphia resident. When friends or family (or friends thereof) visit the City of Brotherly Love, I'll often get an email, FB message, or call asking, "What should I do when I'm in Philadelphia?" (Unfortunately, I also get "Pat's or Geno's all too often, too) I'll then take 20 minutes to type a message with my "insider" perspective on how to get the most out of a touristy trip. I could do a write-up for this particular service on Philly in 2 minutes just by searching my gmail and finding my last recommendation email. The social/crowdsourced data acquisition could have cool implications. - First, it would be an insider perspective and everyone loves to feel like they experienced the "real deal" instead of scratching the surface of various tourist traps. - Second, rather than having one generic tour for each city, there would be a menu of user-created tours to choose from. I know if my mother were visiting Antwerp, she would have a much different agenda than I would. Therefore, the social aspect of this method would enable a user to filter "tours" by the demographic profile of the "tour guide." I'll look for 20-something "tour guides" who posted activities with an active tilt whereas my mom will look for recommendations on art museums and sites with historic value. Revenue model (long-term) is obvious. Sell advertising. Local businesses can target advertising to a desirable audience: one that is captive and more likely to spend money. Think restaurants, bars, hotels, hostels, rental cars/scooters, entertainment, tourist attractions. With this app, there will be great info on where the tourist plans to go so the advertising will have exceptional value. Obviously the service can't cheapen the value of the "insider info" by drowning a user in ads, but thoughtfully placed ads would probably be tolerable (and effective). I like this idea. I would use it all the time, personally. Let me know if you end up pursuing it and want some help!