THE RURBAN FRINGE

Going Hyper … Local, That Is

Posted on | June 1, 2010 | 1 Comment

That’s “hyper” as in “linked” and “local” as in “location” … in short, it’s information created by and for local communities.

I’m currently involved in a neat online rural community platform project.  A what, you ask?!  Yeah, it’s a mouthful, isn’t it?  An online site.  For rural communities.  Based on Web 2.0 concepts of connectivity and content-sharing.  Hyper-local. 

The goal of the project is to create hyper-local online sites or “platforms,” using different media (e.g. text, photos, video, etc.), to engage and connect community members, businesses and other communities across the province, 24-7. 

But it’s about more than local media coverage, local updates or local blogging … what’s unique is that it also it aims to engage local businesses in using Web 2.0 applications to address inefficiencies associated with small business operations. 

It’s about applying new technologies to old problems. 

Why?  Well, small businesses are typically harder to reach with new technologies and local businesses, especially, are notoriously late adopters of such.  Take e-business, for instance.  How many rural small businesses are comfortable selling their products and services online?  Have a consistently updated website or web presence?  Or even have a computer, in some cases.  Ergo, small businesses – and rural small businesses, especially – are underserved and stand to benefit from engaging others in new ways.

Success will lie in partnering – not competing – with existing media and in creating a new combination of old and new media channels, but suited for local purposes.

Knowingly or not, we are already supporting this.  In an on-demand information society, we expect detailed, up-to-date local information.  We want to know what’s happening in our neighbourhoods.  We want to support our local businesses to keep our communities viable. 

In short, there’s real demand for reliable information about our communities, our children’s schools, our community groups, our streets, our blocks … the trick is customizing each site to the community it covers.

It’s grassroots.  It’s local.  It’s high-quality.  It’s real-time.  It’s access to new markets and networks.  It’s a start … and it’s for rural communities. 

With any luck … coming soon to a community near you.

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One Response to “Going Hyper … Local, That Is”

  1. Going Hyper … Local, That Is : THE RURBAN FRINGE « Social Computing Technology
    June 1st, 2010 @ 1:07 pm

    [...] from: Going Hyper … Local, That Is : THE RURBAN FRINGE associated-with, engage-local, local-updates, Web [...]

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