Are Location-Based Services All Hype?

READWRITEWEB — Are location-based mobile applications like Foursquare, Loopt and Gowalla just hype? That's the potential, at-a-glance takeaway from a new study released today by Forrester Research. Only 4% of U.S. online adults have ever used location-based apps such as these, and only 1% out of those that use them do so more than once per week. Meanwhile, 84% said they weren't familiar with these apps. What's worse, for marketers hoping to tap into a diverse and savvy audience of shoppers, diners, and other local consumers, the details on audience make up are disappointing. According to Forrester, LBS (location-based services) users are 80% male and 70% are aged 19-35. So should marketers stay away for now until these services mature? Absolutely not. And here's why:...