Geolocation testing for websites and mobile apps may be used in various ways. This article explains how to test geolocation to ensure it works across geographic boundaries without a hitch. We are all familiar with the Allow your location box in our mobile apps and web browsers while browsing a website.
Apps that ask for your location and explain what they intend to do with it may be blamed. Take a look at Google Maps, for instance. The app needs to know where you are right now to provide you with directions. You can also use an app like UberEats to find nearby eateries by providing your location (or a location).
What is Geolocation testing?
The term – geolocation testing refers to evaluating a website or mobile app’s geolocation capabilities. Does your app automatically retrieve the current location if you have a meal delivery service? If so, where exactly is the device located? Next, do you have a way to exclude certain restaurants based on where the user is located? The question is whether or not they exist at the exact location or if it takes a different latitude and longitude. Things like this are part of geolocation testing, of course.
Best use Cases of Geolocation:
In today’s digital and mobile world, the following are the most prevalent practical use cases for leveraging geolocation’s ability.
Sticking to Regional Protocols
Apps for both mobile and online platforms are global and shareable. However, this isn’t the case in every part of the world. Several governments put laws on applications and websites that must be observed for various reasons in various fields.
Search Engine Results:
On their support page, Google notes it for the user’s benefit. On a typical day, Google performs 8.5 billion searches, or 99,000 searches each second. As a result, many people are directly impacted by this use case. It’s not just developers that rely on Google’s search function. Search engine results are also tailored based on where you are located. As a result, geolocation will impact you and your customers.
Advertisement targeting:
The advertising sector is one of the most successful geolocation-based businesses today. Amazon’s revenue sheet, for example, shows that they earned 31 billion dollars in advertising revenue alone. There will be a 700 billion dollar revenue total in 2021. One of the specialisations of huge digital companies like Google and Facebook is to target adverts to people according to their location.
Security:
For the user’s security, geolocation is also employed. This system is well-suited to the needs of banking and payment-related applications. Google Pay, for example, is a payment-related service that facilitates the transfer of payments between users. To track where the money is being sent, it logs the device’s position for each transfer. If payment is made in New York and then one hour later in Tokyo, the transaction will not be executed.
Important technology terms for Geolocation testing:
Geofencing: The idea of geofencing is to place a virtual fence around a user’s position, which may or may not be based on a real-world location. Using a SIM card to implement geofencing is an excellent example. The connection providers represent districts, states, and countries as a fence. A notification is sent to the user whenever the mobile device passes a defined boundary. An event occurs when the device leaves the geofence and is linked to appropriate action.
Geotargeting: Users are targeted depending on their geolocation in geotargeting. Users would see different content from the same application (web or mobile). A new trend in marketing and advertising is geotargeting, which focuses on specific geographic locations. Ads tailored to your area can be found on YouTube (or other sites). The device’s location is also taken into consideration when Amazon displays products.
Geoblocking: While geoblocking isn’t exactly a new concept, it’s one that’s been around for quite some time. The implementation of the app employing geoblocking determines the grounds for geoblocking. Using geoblocking, for example, Netflix may be able to prevent you from watching a movie that isn’t accessible in your area.
Geomassaging: Geomessaging is a term used to describe any media or text file delivered to another device with geolocation data attached to it. SOS messages with the latitude and longitude of the recipient are a typical example of this type of communication.
Different methods on how to test Geolocation:
Test Geolocation by forming an international team:
To conduct geolocation testing, you’ll need to get in touch with users in various areas and give them your software. Many websites, such as GitHub can assist you in your search for beta testers. However, there are two significant drawbacks to this strategy. To begin with, you don’t know who your testers are. This is the most naive approach. You give them access to your private source code even if you’ve never met them. A security breach could occur as a result of this.
Test website Geolocation using VPN:
It is possible to fool the system into thinking it is located somewhere else by using a VPN proxy server. As far as our geolocation testing is concerned, this is good. You open a virtual private network (VPN), alter your location, and begin testing. To use this method, you need to have a small project and not have the money to invest in more expensive choices. A VPN is top-rated among younger generations since it allows them to access otherwise restricted programmes in their country. As a result, some nations limit the use of virtual private networks (VPNs) to protect their infrastructure.
Test website Geolocation on cloud-based testing platforms:
Numerous functionalities and capabilities are built into a cloud-based website geolocation testing platform to address the issues outlined above. Cross-browser testing platform LambdaTest provides an online browser farm of 3000+ browsers and OS combinations that can be tested on web browsers across multiple geolocations.
Appium and Selenium frameworks are included in the platform, making it easy to automate the testing of web apps and interact with them in real-time. Mobile app testing on Android emulators, iOS simulators, and a cloud of real devices is possible with LambdaTest thanks to its online device farm, which includes 3000+ real devices and OS combinations.
Conclusion:
We can’t live without geolocation, and it’s becoming increasingly prevalent. Use geolocation services to perform everyday chores, such as checking the weather and determining your destination’s distance. Geolocation can be used for a wide range of applications, including those covered in this article.
As a geolocation-based application has so much at stake, it is more critical to conduct proper testing. We can either use a VPN or a cloud-based service to get in touch with other testers. However, cloud-based services are highly suggested in this area, even if you have a list of advantages and disadvantages for your specific case. Many more countries can be reached with them than with other ways, making it easier to keep your data safe. Please share your geolocation story in the comment box if you agree or disagree.
Author Bio: Vixit Raj is Product Growth and Marketing Specialist in LambdaTest : The Cross Browser Web App Testing Platform. An E&C engineering background & digital marketing domain experience of 5+ years has aroused his interest towards learning more about latest technology advancements, product marketing, coding and testing.
