Love them or hate them, location based applications are here to stay. Most Brick & Mortar businesses know by now,that they at least need to claim their page on Foursquare, so people can check in while they are there. What about those of us who have who have very real businesses that live online, but no store front? Well, Foursquare can give your internet business a home too.
Foursquare Pages
Pages on Foursquare are similar in many ways as Facebook pages. You put your info, relevant links, bio and such on your page like you would on Facebook or G+. However, Foursquare can add a great benefit to you that facebook pages don’t. They can humanize you by having your web based business interact with your fans during their physical every day lives. You can let your fans feel connected to you, seeing what you have seen, hanging out where you hang out, eating where you eat. You do this by writing Tips.
Tips
Once you have your page launched, start adding Tips.
History Channel checked in to historical places all over the United States and left tips which included things to see and information that people would have otherwise not gotten. They were able to take their target market, interact with them as they went sightseeing and showcased their expertise. Red Bull frequently checks in in advanced to places where they will be sponsoring events in the near future. That way if you are checking in to the local park, you immediately see a tip for that location from Red Bull telling you to come back next month and take part in the activities. Cool stuff.
You can do this with your small business too. Simply think of all the places that are most relevant to you and your fans, then create tips at them.
Do you have a favorite coffee shop for your business trips to Boston? Leave a tip there so the next time your fans are out of town too, they feel closer to you and your brand than ever.
Lists
Once you have created the tips you want, Lists are the way you organize them. Organize them by City, State, or even by theme. Lists act as a pocket guide for your fans, and lets them connect with you and what you enjoy. When I travel I frequently look for lists made by businesses I am passionate about. It adds a lot of fun and adventure to your next vacation, or even trip to the mall.
Do you have any experiences using Foursquare with your business, I would love to hear them.
@rcottle86
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Agree Rich, LBA’s are here and in fact, I see a great growth opportunity. They can be perfectly suited for many SMB’s with restricted promo budgets to drive traffic. Depending on the business LMB’s make more sense than other “typical” social channels, realizing on the spot rewards to both customer and deliverer.
Thanks Randy, Yes they definitely hold a special place in the marketing equation. I have found that by connecting fans on a typical fan page that end up crossing over into LBA usually engage a lot more and at a far deeper level.
Well done Rich! Great tips on using FourSquare when you don't have an actual storefront. I think a lot of non storefront businesses would never consider using foursquare as a way to market to their customers but the examples you gave give good reason to try. :)
Thanks DJ! Yes, most people I talk to have no clue that you can use foursquare for other types of businesses. It was hard to pick a good case study, since there are so many great ones out there of brands doing cool stuff on Foursquare.
3 Cheers for foursquare!! With almost 22,000 check-ins myself, I'm all about foursquare; then again, foursquare is the main reason why I met the lady who is now my girlfriend… totally unexpected, but 4sqLoveStory is here to stay… so, I'm am extra hopeful for the future of 4sq!
Wow, Sounds like you have a great story to share, Dwayne. Yes, I love 4sq too! I think people write it off far too quickly.