Comments on: See ya Foursquare – I’m checking out

By: John Le Fevre

John Le Fevre — Wed, 11 Aug 2010 03:56:33 +0000

With only about four million users globally Foursquare might be an interesting app for people who can’t enter a building without madly pressing buttons on their smartphones but as a social network marketing tool it’s a flop. The pool of users is too small in any one geographical area so it’s pretty pointless for local SNM. There’s a different Social networking site coming online almost weekly and marketers really need to focus on where they are going to devote their attention and do the job well in select areas than trying to be everywhere.
It’s a bit like reality TV programs. There’s hundreds, but not everyone wants to broadcast their location 24/7 and if people are so busy telling everyone where they are then they haven’t got time to digest the message being put in front of them so that equates to wasted spend.
Personally I don’t want people to know where I’m at 24/7. It’s just one step away from big brother. People have fought against this type of monitoring by governments for decades and yet there is a growing trend for people to want to voluntarily tell anyone who’s watching where they are and what they are doing. Very Nineteen Eighty-Four.

By: Brodie

Brodie — Tue, 10 Aug 2010 01:24:23 +0000

I found foursquare to be great on a recent trip for local tips. The exact behaviour Tim engaged in (constantly checking into his office just to be the mayor) is what annoys me. I have a friend who checks-in to two places on Foursquare, his local train station and his office with equally inane comnments like ‘Waiting for a Train’. Really, what is that contributing to the Foursquare community? Perhaps something about which train usually has the most seats available would be more useful.

Foursquare has potential if people actually contribute to the ‘conversation’ about a check-in venue rather than simply ‘being there’. Until people understand that and stop simply trying to be a ‘mayor’ it is going to be just noise.

By: James

James — Tue, 03 Aug 2010 06:55:06 +0000

Yep agree as well its just noise.. have been trailing it for the last month. Finally its time for me to let go. I find it all a little bit boring just talking to myself and collecting badges for what!.. bye bye foursquare.

By: Matt

Matt — Tue, 03 Aug 2010 03:47:22 +0000

I tried playing around with Foursquare, just to see what the fuss was all about. I find my location checkins generally motivate some discussion from my Twitter followers – as recently as last night, I had four tweets after checking into a certain pub – everything from “good pub” to “did your drink get spiked?”

The iPhone app I find terribly buggy and the geo-locate device is generally quite a distance from where you are checking in.

It is still yet to be fully integrated into business’ marketing but the opportunities for businesses (particularly small local stores or cafes) are quite strong.

Well done William R!

By: hula hoop

hula hoop — Mon, 02 Aug 2010 04:26:58 +0000

It’s a fad.

By: Anna

Anna — Mon, 02 Aug 2010 04:13:46 +0000

Like others I like it for the tips and seeing what others have had on the menu. It’s also become a bit of a talking point with fellow locals on twitter who have seen me check in and now we’re all swaping reviews of various places in the area which I love.

it’s a bit of fun I don’t take it too seriously

I have been trying to get in touch with foursquare about doing badges for Spring Racing Carnival but to no success as yet….

By: Geo

Geo — Sat, 31 Jul 2010 05:07:42 +0000

Love foursquare. Don’t care about mayorships, points, etc. Use it for the tips and to keep track of where I’ve been. Check-in cheats are missing the point.

I only use it to check-in to fun things. Using it to check-in to work, the bus stop, etc would make it depressing and boring. No wonder you gave up!

By: 3rdEar

3rdEar — Sat, 31 Jul 2010 03:04:31 +0000

I will never doubt foursquare ability to locate the best Thai or coffee by a suburb
and agree with Ben S in that the geo history as a digital diary. Hopefully the 20 million funding recently announced will offer more features and power to users to flag suspect checkins.

By: Marek

Marek — Fri, 30 Jul 2010 13:55:11 +0000

Foursquare is definitely polarizing…I thought it was pointless at first buthave come to find it extremely useful in navigating my new city of Stockholm.

But Tim, your experience seems to be defined by someone abusing ‘the system’ and, by my count, not typical of the whole. And as James Hopkins wrote on his blog, when one person in your network or area adds value by leaving tips and comments, the whole foursquare ecosystem benefits and grows as a result.

A few other great things for local businesses though:
- providing offers and drawing in local traffic
- getting SEO value for Google local results
- finding out what consumers think by reading tips
- getting some stats on visitors.

…my two cents

By: Ben S

Ben S — Fri, 30 Jul 2010 08:07:00 +0000

It’s a good way of keeping track where you’ve been for those of us with poor memory.

By: Josh

Josh — Fri, 30 Jul 2010 07:13:39 +0000

I have only started to use it overhead last few months and I was instantly hooked. Checking in places getting mayorships, badges and adding friends. One day I arrived at a casual business meeting with a colleague and he shook my hand and then said “hold on, I just have to check into foursquare here..” then we proceeded with our meeting. What would your reaction be? I was shocked and considered this rude. Although it was
An opening conversation point. I

By: philby

philby — Fri, 30 Jul 2010 03:35:22 +0000

Great post. Agree with you about Foursquare in it’s current form provides limited appeal for those who have possibly expended the novelty factor of the game element.
Foursquare’s main problem appears to be that once you’re past the game and badge, there really isn’t a critical mass regularly updating the service with useful information when checking in. Without this additional information, the monotony of checking in as part of your daily routine can turn you off the thing quite quickly.
The three obvious next steps for Foursquare would be:
1) An increase of audience adding rich information into the service, but without some sort of impetus for this to happen, it’s a long shot
2) Integration into another information-rich, regularly updated, application, like Twitter, that would add value to the check-in beyond mayorship and badges, or
3) Wilting like a Second Life or Chatroulette, which provided an interesting service, but was limited once people got past the novelty factor.
Geo-social applications may have value to business (especially small business), but the challenge is how do you bring together information, immediacy, and, as a result, a rich, layered community to ‘stoke the fire’. There is should be something to be had between Foursquare and Google Places, but something needs to change/evolve/be invented to make it happen.

By: William R

William R — Fri, 30 Jul 2010 03:19:15 +0000

Finally!

By: Graham White

Graham White — Fri, 30 Jul 2010 03:08:30 +0000

I wouldn’t write off location-based social networks (LBSNs) like Foursquare too quickly.

I have just read Forrester’s latest paper on LBSNs, and I agree with their verdict…potential doesn’t match the hype…..yet!

Based on the research they compiled, it seems there are a lot of things for marketers to still get excited about:

1) an educated, influential male audience
2) a new and unique mobile experience
3) the potential to entice nearby customers to points of sale.

The advice is continue to experiment and there are certainly some clear benefits for gaming, consumer electronics, retail, services and sportswear companies.

Whilst they may not generate a critical mass of volume, you can reach an influential audience and still have a chance of earning early adopter “street cred.”

I myself will continue to check in…..mayor or not.

By: Ross Raeburn

Ross Raeburn — Fri, 30 Jul 2010 02:27:45 +0000

“It’s not really a game for those who have any sort of a normal life.”

Came to exactly the same opinion very early on.

Like you, persevered however can’t honestly say my life was ever improved or more entertaining for the invested time.

Nice post.