Loading ...« Weekly Wrapup - 8 February 2008 | Home | Local Web sites for Non-Technical Towns? »
Where is Local?
By Cameron Ferroni | February 12, 2008
Specifically - is local where I am, or where I want to go? More importantly - to what extent should the answer to that question influence site design and strategy? First, let’s define the question. As I’ve indicated before, where I am at a given time and where I’m from may or may not be directly related to the “local” information that I’m interested in. For example, if I’m travelling and looking for news, I’m probably still interested in the latest developments in my home town/neighborhood, although I’m also interested in anything relevant wherever I am. On the flip side if I’m travelling and looking for traffic, or a restaurant, then it’s likely more important to find the information about my current location. Unless of course I’m looking for a restaurant for a different day, then who knows. Similarly my knowledge of a location can skew my interpretation of results and information. For example, if I’m looking for dinner and a show in Seattle, I know that there are some great restaurants in Capitol Hill that are mere blocks from the theatres Downtown. If I’m not a local however, the neighborhood names can mean nothing to me, and in fact, could push me away.
So, as with anything - frame of reference is important. But can you truly design a site that fully contemplates frame of reference and works well for anyone? The prevailing wisdom goes both ways. Most travel sites for example are written from the perspective of giving the best experience possible to people who have never been to a given place. Most of the local information sites on the other hand tend to straddle the fence, neither completely serving a local constituent nor providing a “beginner’s guide” to a city. Reviews in particular throw a major wrench in this space, since you can’t really control the voice/perspective as soon as you open it up to a consumer perspective.
Frankly, I’d like to see the local information sites skew more towards really embracing the locals themselves. The reality is the travel sites do a pretty good job serving the traveller. If you are going to be in a city for 5 days out of an entire year, you’re probably in good hands hitting 2-3 of the generally agreed up top restaurants, seeing a couple of the must see sites, and you probably don’t really care about the best place to get your dog groomed. If you are a local though, the math changes dramatically. Figuring out a good vet is important. Getting coupons for your dry cleaner can make a fundamental difference, and change your habits. A great local business information experience is fundamentally different than a great travel experience. It’s time to recognize that.
To be truly best of breed you have to make a choice. Hey, if there is a traveller out there looking for information and they happen to find your site, great. We certainly welcome them with open arms. But we shouldn’t be architecting our site in the hopes of serving both constituents, at least not to the detriment of our local users. When it comes to being the best at something focusing on what you aren’t going to do is every bit as important as what you are…..
Topics: Data, Community, Local Search |