Foursquare and Location-Based Sites for Business

What It Is

Foursquare and other location-based sites, such as Loopt, allow users to look for businesses or other locations near them, then “check in” to let other users know they are there. These sites all have companion apps for GPS-enabled smartphones. Foursquare users can also earn badges for the places and frequency with which they check in, including “mayorships” of individual locations. In 2010, Facebook and Yelp added check-in functionality, and Twitter added the ability to add a location to a user’s tweets. Google has also entered the location-based space by adding ratings and reviews attached to a user's Google Places (formerly Hotpot), and driven by proximity.

What It Does

Location-based marketing gives businesses a way to reach customers—and only those customers—that are in immediate proximity to their brick-and-mortar storefront in order to drive new business and increased foot traffic. Promotions mostly consist of advertising specials to users who check in near the business. On Foursquare, some business specials are only available to users who have unlocked them by either checking in to the location, or becoming mayor of it. Loopt offers the ability to alert users to deals when they come within a certain proximity to the business. Businesses can also promote their listings on such sites as Yelp and Foursquare with window decals, reminding customers to check in. If enough users check in simultaneously to the same location on Foursquare, it may appear as a “trending” location, bringing it to the attention of other nearby users.

Who It’s For

Retail, hospitality, restaurants, theaters, service businesses, and other bricks-and-mortar businesses, as well as tourism related destinations such as museums.

Here are additional resources on using Foursquare, Loopt, Yelp and other location-based marketing sites for your business.

How To Use It

PowerUp Recommends

Case Studies

Case Studies: Foursquare and Location-Based Social Media Sites

Resources

Where the Customers Are: Is Location-Based Social Media Right for Your Business?- CDG Interactive blog

What You Need to Know About Foursquare

Our 3 Likes

The ability to target promotions via a combination of loyalty and proximity
The addictive, game nature of the apps—collecting mayorships, badges, pins and more
Tips let loyal visitors tell others what’s best about your business.

Our 3 Dislikes

Foursquare could do more to prevent duplicate listings of businesses.
The process to claim your business can be clunky; if it doesn’t recognize your phone number, you have to wait for a verification code by postal mail.
The “check-in” promotion space is getting crowded.

3 Things to Do Now

Claim your business if it’s already listed, and add it if it isn’t.
Make sure one of your employees isn’t the mayor of your business (leave that for loyal customers).
Run a small promotion as a pilot test and track the results.

Social Media Pyramid

Your Recommended Allowance of Social Media

Consult the Social Media Pyramid to find out which social media channels you should be using, and how much time you should be spending on each.

Join PowerUp Social

Hey, we practice what we preach. Connect with us & join the conversation.