Foursquare – A fun location to be

 

You’ve heard about it, and we want you to be in the know.

Founded in 2009, Foursquare is a location-based web and mobile application website developed primarily for use on mobile devices. Users “check-in” at venues using a mobile website application.

This means that users can check in to venues like restaurants, bars, parks, gyms and stores, among others, which allow you to keep track of your “friends” and lets your friends know what you are up to. This is just one of the social networking sites that allow users to interact with their environment.

Business and users are both benefiting from Foursquare. Many establishments are offering great discounts for being “mayor” or just for checking in. A good example was Radio Shack offering 10% off the purchase price when you checked in and if you were the mayor you got 20% off. The convenience store, 7-11, offered over 21,000 different prizes including a trip into space. This type of value-added service is causing major companies to rethink their interaction with customers.

Here’s a quick Foursquare "crash course!"

Points

Every Foursquare check-in earns you points. A few examples are:

1. You get 2 points for visiting a place more than once on one day

2. Being accompanied by a friend - 2 points

3. Locating a new place - 5 points

4. Check-in with the mayor - 3 points

Badges

Badges allow the customer to check-in to various venues. Accumulate enough check-ins and you will be awarded badges for special deals and discounts. Foursquare is reluctant to tell users how to open a badge, but click here to learn more. This is a competition and badges are just one of the rewards offered by Foursquare.

Mayor

Another perk is to become a Mayor of a particular establishment. You have to check-in to a venue on more days than anyone else in the past 60 days. Foursquare now alerts users about how many days before the user is given the Mayor title. Just like any other competition, things can get heated when battling it out for a mayorship.

Superuser Status

Superuser status is bestowed on those users who have contributed to the member community. There are three levels of superuser status and each level allows the user special privileges like creating aliases. Superuser status is sought after by avid Foursquare users.

This is a fun site and a productive one if you want to take advantage of the price breaks and special offers that participating companies bring to it. Keep this social network on your radar as another way to interact with customers and raise awareness.

Kaitlin Friedmann

Manager, Public Relations

kfriedmann@cmasolutions.com