Category: Foursquare

The New Foursquare

I used the old Foursquare for fun. Then I started using it for business. I enjoyed it. I saw new places my “friends” checked in to, used it for Memory Lane, I was rewarded with discounts and even occasionally, became a “Mayor”! My favorite were the badges! Check in to several different bakeries and get bakery badges, check in to a lot of coffee shops and get coffee badges, and check in to a bunch of airports and get traveler badges!! My favorite was the surprise badge! I got one while shopping in New York City. It was a Fashion Week badge!! It was silly but fun and exciting. The competitive types, you could rack up points for the check ins for checking in a lot throughout the day. New places earned more points.

For some reason, the makers of Foursquare decided that they needed to change things drastically so you no longer can check in with the Foursquare app. You must now download another other app, called Swarm (the name by the way does not go ever well with me because I am not a fan of bees).

The once popular app is now getting uninstalled by many former fans and are not moving on to Swarm. I am NOT going to Swarm, because I’m really not interested in downloading yet another app and setting up yet another account when I already had an account with a program that I liked, used and was fun!

I think that if they had done the updates and kept the check in part of the app with Foursquare, people’s reactions would be different. Most people aren’t a fan of change, but this goes beyond change to what many may consider destruction. Did the developers of Swarm and Foursquare shoot themselves in the foot? We’ll see!!

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Your Business on Foursquare

Foursquare is a social media that has over 45 million people worldwide and over 5 billion check-ins, with millions more every day (as of Jan. 2014). If you are part of the crowd that has heard of it and aren’t sure what it is, here is a quick description. You “follow” your friends who are also on foursquare and see where they go, literally. You can check into different places - gas station, house, bar, office, bank, highway, etc. You get points for checking in and earn badges. Tips can be left by anyone, anywhere and are made public.

BUT!! If you have a business in a brick and mortar location, or don’t mind having your personal residence marked on foursquare, you can “claim” your business on this social network. When your customer checks in, all their “friends” see the check in, AKA YOUR BUSINESS. Another awesome part of business exposure with foursquare… if the person that checked in at your location has foursquare linked to their Facebook and Twitter… that’s even more exposure for you!!

Also, if someone checks in at your business, you can offer your customer a special. There are many different options for specials on foursquare. One restaurant that I checked in to offered a free appetizer to the “Mayor” (the person that has checked in the most at the location. Mayorships are public). Express Auto Center in Chester offers a discount on any service if you check in. Just show your phone to the guy at the counter, and you’re done! Discount rewarded!

I call foursquare a low maintenance social media that can be used for free for your business. As the business owner, you don’t have to pay much attention to this social media until you are ready to change your discount (if you want to change it at all) or if you want to update your information. I also think that it’s pretty simple to use. I recommend looking into foursquare for you business if you haven’t already.

To learn more, you can go to their website, business.foursquare.com.

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Foursquare For Your Business

Foursquare is yet another social media that has a lot of users. If you are part of the crowd that has heard of it and aren’t sure what it is, here is a quick description. You “follow” your friends who are also on foursquare and see where they go, literally. You can check into different places - gas station, house, bar, office, bank, highway, etc. You get points for “checking in” and earn “awards.” “Tips” can be left by anyone, anywhere and are made public.

BUT!! If you have a business, you can “claim” your business on this social network and whenever someone checks in at your business, you can offer your customer a special. One restaurant that I checked in at offered a free appetizer to the “Mayor” (the person that has checked in the most at the location. Mayorships are public). Express Auto Center in Chester is currently offering $5 off any service if you check in. Just show your phone to the person at the counter, and you’re done! Discount is given! When your customer checks in, all their “friends” see the check in - YOUR BUSINESS. If you sync your Am-Ex card with foursquare, then you get discounts at many different businesses, like Panera Bread Co.

I call foursquare a low maintenance social media. As a business owner, you don’t have to pay attention to it until you are ready to change your discount, if you want to change it at all. I also think that it’s user-friendly.

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