If Mashable is to be believed–and I think it should be–location-awareness has already emerged as one of the big social media trends of 2010. While such familiar names as Twitter and Yelp have incorporated location-based capabilities into their existing services, the big player at this moment is Foursquare. But what is Foursquare? Here’s Pete Cashmore, writing for CNN, with a brief explanation:
Birthed by the team that brought us the mobile social network Dodgeball (acquired by Google in 2005 and later shuttered), the location-based mobile startup serves a simple purpose: It lets an individual share his or her location with a group of friends.
Foursquare ventures beyond utility, however: It’s a virtual game in which participants earn badges for checking in at various locations; those that check in most become a venue’s “mayor.” By all accounts, this mechanism is as addictive as Twitter, Facebook or checking your e-mail on a BlackBerry.
While the appeal of such a service might not be readily apparent, you likely would have been met with the same apprehension and confusion when trying to explain Twitter (You can only use how many characters?) or Facebook (What’s this about friending?) to unfamiliar parties when these now ubiquitous brands were in their infancies. In fact, in that same article, Cashmore goes on to identify several striking similarities between Foursquare and Twitter. And Cashmore’s not the only one making that claim: Jennifer Van Grove, writing for Mashable, and Robert Scoble, on his blog, both have offered similar predictions.
So how can you use this and other location-based social networks to market your business? While new uses will undoubtedly develop, the frozen confection provider Tasti D-Lite has settled upon a simple yet effective integration. Customers can now link Foursquare and Twitter to their loyalty program account, sending out updates on these services when a rewards card is swiped. And to make it worth the customer’s while, additional rewards points are awarded for linking a loyalty account to these social networks. This both encourages customers to return to a business to reap the rewards of a loyalty program and allows them to easily communicate their visits to a circle of friends and followers. Pretty smart marketing, if you ask me.
Related posts:
- Location on Facebook, Good News for SMBs
- New York Times Plays the Location Game
- Travelocity Gnome Conquers Foursquare
- Find the Location of Any Phone Number with Cloudvox
- 6 Great Resources for Better Twitter Marketing
