In the early days of the World Wide Web, most sites set out to give facts about one topic, product or service. But as the web has changed, so has the way we use it. These days, the web is more about linking people and information than about giving out facts.
The rise of the so-called “spatial web” shows this shift best. Here, “spatial” has to do with space, or where things are. The spatial web is a wider vision. Its aim is to tie digital information and experiences to places, objects and spaces. Location-based sites and apps are related examples, but they are not the whole of it.
The next evolution of the internet
One vision of the Spatial Web makes physical location a first class citizen of the internet. The web of today is built around documents and the links between them. In the same way, the Spatial Web will be built around places and how they relate to one another in space.
This shift will make way for a new breed of apps. They can help us get around the real world in whole new ways. Location services already show the businesses near us. They give directions that allow for traffic, and find routes around jams. The wider vision would let us tie digital objects and experiences to those physical spaces as well.
Platforms for businesses and organizations
The Spatial Web will also give businesses and other groups a new platform to reach their customers and audiences. Location-based ads, for example, could be a better fit for the people who see them. But how well they work, and what they mean for privacy, need to be tested. And as location data spreads, we will see the rise of new firms that run on data. They can help us make sense of the world around us.
One of the best examples of the spatial web is the way we use online maps. In the past, you might have used a paper map to find your way from one place to another. Online maps and navigation gave us turn-by-turn directions well before the wider vision. They show one well-known way to tie information to a place.
It’s still early days, but there’s movement
The wider vision is still taking shape. But startups and other firms already run location-based services along the same lines. Some of the best known include:
- Foursquare: Foursquare began by letting people check in at places from their phones. It also gave them tips on where to go. Check-ins now live in its Swarm app. The separate City Guide app closed in December 2024. Foursquare also sells location data services to firms.
- Waze: Waze is a traffic and navigation app. Its live traffic updates come from the drivers who use it. The app also lets users report crashes, road closures and other incidents. This helps others dodge traffic jams and get where they are going faster.
- Google Maps: Google Maps is an online service with detailed maps of places all over the world. It also has handy tools for people on the move, such as turn-by-turn directions, public transport details and live traffic.
- Yelp: Yelp is a review site written by its users. It covers a wide range of businesses, from restaurants to shops. Its search results are based on location, such as where you are or a place you choose. That way, you can find the nearest business that meets your needs.
These are a few of the firms building services around location data. That is one part of the wider vision. As location data spreads and the tech keeps changing, we will see more and more apps and businesses built on this new platform.
Wrapping up
The Spatial Web could change the way we deal with the world around us. Live updates on what is nearby already show how location data can help us. So do directions that allow for traffic. Taking that link further, so that digital experiences are tied to physical spaces, could give us more ways to use it. It has the potential to make our lives easier and more efficient.
The tech keeps changing, and more firms are starting to use the power of location data. As that happens, we can expect to see even more amazing uses of the Spatial Web in the years to come.
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