I have noticed two geomarketing related posts that involve online maps which made a lot of innovative ideas sprout in my head.

The first one was picked up on All Points Blog. In the article, Geomarketing at work, Adena Schutzberg writes about a very specific occurrence:

Yesterday I received an e-mail asking for a blog post on a data company in exchange for a data file.

She goes on to conclude that not all the geo-entrepreneurs are doing Web 2.0 stuff. Indeed, the trade of a data file for a blog post is rather original. I’ve asked the author what kind of data file is actually worth a blog post and am waiting for the response. This is interesting in terms of online PR. Generally, a lot of companies are having a hard time finding incentives to create a buzz around their brand. In this case, it shows that in the blogosphere of GIS and online maps, since a lot of the top bloggers are primarily geo-professionals sharing their work experiences, it makes sense to barter business assets for a small share-of-voice on a popular site.

Update: Adena Schutzberg kindly responded saying: “It was a ZIP Code point file for the U.S. Some searching should find the company if you want to take him up on the deal. I would encourage any blogger who does to disclose the transaction.” Thanks Adena.

The other article that caught my attention was found on the GoogleMapsMania blog. In this post, Word Magazine Album Covers Map, Keir Clarke reviews the rock magazine’s new feature where visitors can find where the picture of their favorite albums was taken.

It seriously is a very interesting concept. First aren’t you curious to know where this picture was taken? It’s a real hotel in… Or how about this one below?

This Music Map feature is not only entertaining, I think it puts the finger on a great unexplored online marketing outlet for musicians. As I mentioned in a previous post, being a professional musician implies being on the road and sometimes exploring the strangest places. Those traveling experiences automatically become part of the stories told in songs. In other words, online map marketing makes a lot of sense for musicians as this new emerging media has the power to make you travel as far as a song has.

xavierv