It is flu season. So, let me ask you – how are you feeling? No, really. Tell me. Are you feeling sick? If so, you’ve already told your friends, family and co-workers about your illness. Maybe you even posted an update to Facebook or Twitter about your condition. You have no idea, but you just contributed to a national disease-tracking database that will tell others in your area about what is going around.

Huh? Let me explain.

The fine folks at SickWeather.com are the ones behind this and they are truly one of a kind. With a patent-pending algorithm, they are able to pull location-based illness data from social media sites and plot these ailments. They are the first organization to track disease through social media mentions and crowd sourcing. The goal of this analysis is to anticipate outbreaks faster than ever.

Here is how it works:

  1. Social media users around the world update a status that informs everyone that they (or someone close to them) is ill.
  2. Sickweather is able to track and map this data by using a patent-pending algorithm.
  3. Sickweather also allows users to log into the site and let it know how they are feeling.
  4. With all of this data, users can view and track sickness in their local area.

I will admit it – I am pretty late to the Sickweather party (The official launch was in 2011). This does not stop me from being totally impressed by the site. You need to check it out for yourself – it is really cool.

As a marketing guy, I was also impressed with the brands who sponsor and place advertisements on the site. Cold-Eeze – a cold remedy – sponsors the Sickweather map and on the side bar, users see links for flu vaccines, vitamins and flowers (to send to sick friends). A+ job.

Sickweather, LLC – headquarted in Baltimore, Maryland – has been honored as a top “100 Brilliant Companies” by Entrepreneur Magazine and has been featured at the national level on the Today Show, NPR, BBC and MSNBC.

Go check out Sickweather and let them know how you’re feeling today.