Location-based search mechanism in a graphical user interface

A method comprising:

• generating a map-based graphical user interface (GUI) for a social media platform, the map-based GUI including an interactive map that shows a geographical area;
• causing display on the interactive map of a heatmap overlaid on the displayed geographical area to indicate geographical distribution of a metric of user activity on the social media platform;
• receiving a location-based search query provided by user input comprising selection of a target point on the map via the map-based GUI;
• and
• in an automated operation performed using a search engine comprising one or more computer processor devices configured therefor, performing a location-based search for social media content with reference to the user-selected target point on the map;
• and
• causing display on the user device of search results of the location-based search.

A system comprising:

• one or more computer processor devices;
• and
• memory having stored thereon instructions that configure the one or more computer processor devices, when the instructions are executed by the one or more computer processor devices, to generating a map-based graphical user interface (GUI) for a social media platform, the map-based GUI including an interactive map that shows a geographical area;
• causing display on the interactive map of a heatmap overlaid on the displayed geographical area to indicate geographical distribution of a metric of user activity on the social media platform;
• receiving a location-based search query provided by user input comprising selection of a target point on the map via the map-based GUI;
• and
• performing a location-based search for social media content with reference to the user-selected target point on the map;
• and
• causing display on the user device of search results of the location-based search.

A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium having stored thereon instructions for causing a machine, when executing the instructions, to perform operations comprising:

• generating a map-based graphical user interface (GUI) for a social media platform, the map-based GUI including an interactive map that shows a geographical area;
• causing display on the interactive map of a heatmap overlaid on the displayed geographical area to indicate geographical distribution of a metric of user activity on the social media platform;
• receiving a location-based search query provided by user input comprising selection of a target point on the map via the map-based GUI;
• and
• in an automated operation performed using a search engine comprising one or more computer processor devices configured therefor, performing a location-based search for social media content with reference to the user-selected target point on the map;
• and
• causing display on the user device of search results of the location-based search.