A Small World

Where I’ve Been shows the power of word of mouth. With nearly one million users in less than 30 days, Where I’ve Been is fast becoming one of the most popular applications on Facebook, the second most visited social networking website on the world wide web with over 28 million members.

Using a detailed, interactive world map, Where I’ve Been let’s you show everyone where you’ve traveled, where you have lived and where you want to go with a simple click of the mouse. It is designed as a tourist map, not a political one.

One of the first applications launched on Facebook, the rapid success came as a huge surprise to Philadelphia-based developer Craig Ulliott who initially conceived the application as a separate social networking site but felt it did not qualify. When Facebook opened the doors to allow outside applications, Where I’ve Been was brought to life.

“I’ve traveled a lot and thought that other travelers might enjoy using it to share where they’ve been, Ulliott explains. Then Facebook made the Application Programming Interface (API) and I really did it to see how many people would actually want to use and enjoy it.”

Though he is a fulltime freelancer with Blueye Corporation, a Chicago-based graphic design and communications firm, he now spends much of his time sifting through correspondence and fielding offers to buy, invest and advertise with his application. Other requests include updates to the application such as adding more detailed map designations for countries like Brazil, Australia, Russia and China.

“I’ve had so much exposure. More than 1,000 people have written on the message board, and another 200 or 300 have sent e-mails,¬ù Ulliott explains. “It’s like free market research. You put it out there and people tell you what they think of it and what they want.”

From the beginning, Ulliott put a lot of thought into his interface. “Building trust within people when it comes to a new product is important.,” he says. “I used complimentary colors to the Facebook application and made it more relative to Facebook so that the users could feel more trusting of this application. I made it easy and fun to use, free and you don’t have to login to an outside site just to use and share it with others.”¬ù One unique feature is the ability to compare your map with your friends’ maps.

Slightly overwhlemed by the success of what he has created, Ulliott initially found it an expensive challenge to maintain the server space needed to keep up with his rapidly expanding user base. “I’m a freelance developer, not a company, and its put a powerful 4GB $450 a month dedicated server on 3 backbones at maximum load and is pushing 2000GB a month in traffic. It doesn”t make me any money.”

As a result, he has asked for donations from users to help keep the program free and up and running. He has also garnered support from Blueye Corp., including their common partner Michael Dalesandro of the firm DROWST Trading who will help build and market Where I’ve Been outside of the Facebook interface. Also on board is Executive Corporate Advisor Brian Harmiman, formerly with Priceline.

When asked to explain its popularity, Ulliott credits the power of the social networking site. “It makes me realize not how good I am at programming but rather how big Facebook is and how it has spread. People have added the application because they see that their friends have it on their profile and they are interested in having it too.”

As for where it will go next, it is clear that the sky is the limit. Naturally many of the big travel websites have been in contact. “If you have heard of them, we have heard from them,” Ulliott says. While the offers continue to pour in, Ulliott and his team are wading carefully through the myriad of money-making opportunities. “Currently we have visions to take this to the next steps, deploying it to MySpace, Google and others and we’re even considering making it it’s own entity,” says Dalesandro.

“If I hadn’t launched it when I did it may not have happened. I had perfect timing. I was there for the Goldrush,”¬ù Ulliott says. Yet clearly, Facebook may only be the beginning.

For more information, visit www.whereivebeen.com, http://www.blueye.com and / or www.drowsttrading.com.