Project - Hyperlocal media with FollowThePlace -- Location-aware, hyperlocal media experiences

Turning places into living digital spaces for local communication and engagement.

Financed by: InnovateUK
Duration: 2012-2013
Keywords: Tourism Community Engagement

Overview

In the Hyperlocal Media with FollowThePlace project, IN2 explored how location-aware digital media services can strengthen connections between citizens, local services, and communities. The project investigated new models of hyperlocal information sharing, focusing on how social media, multimedia content, and geolocation can be combined to deliver relevant, timely, and place-specific information.

IN2 led the technical design and implementation of the FollowThePlace platform, developing a service-oriented system capable of aggregating user-generated content, social media streams, and multimedia assets around specific locations. The platform enabled tagging, search, notifications, and media uploads, allowing both citizens and local stakeholders to participate actively in hyperlocal communication.

A central part of IN2’s work was the implementation of real-world hyperlocal scenarios, including food and drink discovery, museums and galleries, schools, and local news. These scenarios demonstrated how citizens could request or share information based on location and interest, while service providers could respond directly with targeted, context-aware updates and offers.

The project followed a feasibility-driven and user-centred approach, combining stakeholder workshops, live testing, and iterative refinement. Through deployment, evaluation, and dissemination, IN2 validated the technical viability and social value of hyperlocal media services, laying the groundwork for future location-based platforms.