Averaging 60,000 to 70,000 unique visitors per month, the self-monikered ‘Wikipedia of locations’ POIfriend.com allows orgs to market their locations directly to consumers by downloading map and navigation info onto GPS-enabled devices such as BlackBerries (information can also be printed directly from the site). The latest addition to the site is Tim Hortons, whose locations have been downloaded 8,895 times since the POI group launched in January.
Users can find, create, comment, rate and use POI (Point of Interest) with GPS-enabled navigation devices, maps and driving directions for companies such as CIBC, Shoppers Drug Mart, Wal-Mart Canada and Canadian Tire. Organizations can sponsor the site’s POI special interest groups. Scotiabank recently signed on as sponsor for the POI group Arenas and Ice Rinks Canada, which lists 2,706 locations. A near-term option for corporations will also offer geo-targeted advertising and messaging to users.
Promotion for the site is grounded in grassroots initiatives like word-of-mouth and blogs. Links are also provided on the sites of most participating organizations. The November issue of Laptop magazine recognized POIfriend as one of the Best Web Applications of 2008.
