Since late last year, Twitter has included location as a key part of its API. Earlier this year, it was rolled out to twitter.com as well. But those locations have been abstract cities or areas. Starting now, Twitter is adding actual venues into the mix as well.
On both Twitter.com and mobile.twitter.com, you’ll now be able to tag tweets to specific places (such as venues), Twitter notes on its blog today. And clicking on those location names will bring up recent tweets from those places. Twitter says this is perfect for the World Cup matches currently going on in South Africa.
Notably, this also will work right off the bat with Foursquare and Gowalla — two of the most popular check-in services. When you click on a venue that has Foursquare or Gowalla information attached to it, you’ll also see check-ins at those venues on twitter.com. This is a big win for both of those services.
This new place information works with the Twitter API as well. Over the next week, it will be rolling out in 65 countries around the world thanks to data partnerships with TomTom and Localeze.
And alongside this launch, Twitter notes that the location functionality is working in more browsers, such as Internet Explorer and Safari (in addition to Chrome and Firefox, where it has worked for a while). And soon, Twitter Places will come to the native mobile applications for the iPhone, Android, and BlackBerry.
All of this means huge things for location on Twitter. And the fact that this place data ties in with both Foursquare and Gowalla is excellent. But there still eventually needs to be some sort of unified place database. Maybe Twitter Places will help produce that. At least until Facebook’s location solution comes out and is inevitably incompatible — I kid, I kid. Or do I?
And don’t forget Google Places.
Created in 2006, Twitter is a global real-time communications platform with 400 million monthly visitors to twitter.com, more than 200 million monthly active users around the world. We see a billion tweets every 2.5 days on every conceivable topic. World leaders, major athletes, star performers, news organizations and entertainment outlets are among the millions of active Twitter accounts through which users can truly get the pulse of the planet.
Foursquare is a geographical location based social network that incorporates gaming elements. Users share their location with friends by “checking in” via a smartphone app or by text message. Points are awarded for checking in at various venues. Users can connect their Foursquare accounts to their Twitter and Facebook accounts, which can update when a check in is registered. By checking in a certain number of times, or in different locations, users can collect virtual badges. In addition, users...
Gowalla is a mobile and web service that gives people around the world a new way to communicate and express themselves through the everyday places and extraordinary settings they enjoy. People can capture and share their spot in the world with friends and family, while discovering new places, events and trips as they go. Gowalla offers businesses, campaigns, and organizations the unique opportunity to reward loyalty, reach new consumers, and to create memorable experiences. Based in Austin, Texas, Gowalla was...
Austin, TX
Seattle, WA
San Diego, CA
Menlo Park, CA
Berlin, Germany
Boston, MA
