#brandplus and #brandminus are very popular hash tags on Twitter and I have used both many times to highlight good or bad service from brands I interact with. Location-sharing platforms like Foursquare, and Facebook in the near future, makes it even easier for consumers to share information on the brands they love and loathe by allowing users to ‘tag’ the brand with positive and negative comments for anyone to see online.

At present Foursquare is one of the most popular location-sharing services in South Africa but that might change as soon as Facebook adds location-sharing to its features. This will be an opt-in service and Facebook users will choose whether or not they want to share their location with the rest of the world.

As part of an integrated marketing strategy location-sharing offer many possibilities for marketers. Interactive and engaging competitions like the Marc Jacobs competition for Fashion Week are possible and brands can step up their loyalty programs by allowing customers to ‘check-in’ via location-sharing tools. Location-sharing oriented competitions can not only increase the number of feet through the door but also enhance the consumers’ experience of a brand. Location-sharing also gives a whole new meaning to targeted marketing. If you participate in location-sharing and you will see ads of promotions in close proximity on the websites you visit.

It will be interesting to see if the number of people making use of location-sharing is going to increase when Facebook add it to their services and I’m curious to see which South African brands are going to integrate location-sharing with their current marketing. What are your thoughts?