Sites and apps that let people track their locations get buzz from tech blogs . But the sites are not achieving mainstream popularity , according to Forbes . Only 7 percent of Americans are aware of location - based social networks . However , even though Gowalla , Foursquare , BrightKite and Yelp allow for check-ins at `` places , '' rather than just map coordinates , which makes the data more valuable for targeted advertising , actual advertiser value has n't yet totally materialized . Facebook and Twitter may soon embrace the idea , however .
Sites and apps that let people track their locations get buzz from tech blogs . But the sites are not achieving mainstream popularity , according to Forbes . Only 7 percent of Americans are aware of location - based social networks . Facebook and Twitter may soon embrace the idea , however .