I’ve recently been working in the ‘places’ sector, where firms are trying to find ways to help people browse and select physical places to visit.

This is certainly challenging, as Google Local and Facebook Places are obviously serious competitors. So how do you steal a march on the big boys?

Actually, it’s a lot simpler than it might sound: be specific. Google and Facebook are unlikely to to the very particular thing that a small firm can do well. So as long as your product offering is sufficiently advanced to attract users, you’re well on the way to creating a competitive edge. The majors can’t dominate every market, and there’s still a very profitable place for niche players. The key to success is simple. Know your niche and serve it well. Sure, you’ll have to compete long term with the majors, but by being different, and better for your users, there’s still a place in the market for you.