Location-based check-in service FourSquare is continuing to sign 'content' deals with mainstream partners that tie in to the service. The partnerships are about using FourSquare to bring venues to life by 'socialising' them through creation of a dedicated FourSquare presence. FourSquare users then get rewards for visiting / 'checking in' at a venue as well as being able to both read and leave 'Tips' for a specific location.
Zagat FourSquare presence
Zagat say "ZAGAT + Foursquare = Foodie Love. We're excited to bring the enthusiastic Foursquare community together with ZAGAT's dining expertise. Now Foursquare users can benefit from official ZAGAT tips, show they love food by unlocking the new foodie badge and have opportunities to be featured on ZAGAT.com with our new "Meet The Mayor" series."
FourSquare Valentine's Day movie
The Valentine's Day / FourSquare page description stating "Visit and check-in on Foursquare at any of the locations on our Valentine's Day inspired list of the most romantic places in New York City, San Francisco, Chicago, Los Angeles and Boston to get a Valentine's Day badge! Then go see the movie, in theaters on February 12!"
HBO have created a
FourSquare presence around new series 'How To Make It In America' and again encourage user interactivity through check-in's:
FourSquare & HBO 'How To Make It In America'
"Hustle your way in to the NYC scene with HBO's How to Make It. Unlock one or all four of the badges: Culture, Living, Cocktails, and Nightlife."
FourSquare and Bravo
"Bravo fans do more than sit on their couches and watch Housewives yell at each other all day (shocking, right?). They eat where Top Chefs eat (and cook), they shop where the Housewives shop, they drink, er, responsibly (and most likely with Andy Cohen), and they foursquare! Download Guides by Bravo to get Bravolebrities' picks for the best restaurants, bars, and stores in your city, then start earning your Bravo badges! We didn't ask Team Zoe, but we hear badges are always in style."
Whilst the
Harvard FourSquare partnership (
more here) continues too:
Harvard: 'Explore the campus wth FourSquare'
"Harvard is more than classrooms and buildings. It’s an interconnected community of people, ideas, and experiences, and we are actively pursuing ways to enhance those connections. Foursquare allows our community to engage with friends, professors, and colleagues in new ways. We also hope visitors and neighbors will benefit from the platform as it grows through use."
FourSquare have an advantage over Twitter (at the moment) in so far as the FourSquare service is intrinsically tied to real world locations. FourSquare can then be used to bring these locations to life (with specific pages, bespoke badges to unlock, tips for things to do etc) and create / enhance location specific experiences. At the same time Fourquare has the potential to offer response based / coupon advertising as well as special offers in return for check-in's or mayorships, again all location based and tied into the real world.
Furthermore, the social connectedness of FourSquare (both within itself and with it's links to Facebook and Twitter) enables FourSquare usage to drive Conversation too.
In the
Destination and Conversation model FourSquare can therefore be used to drive traffic to the Destination (offers and ads), enhance the Destination (interactive experiences etc) or drive the Conversation (through public check-in's, tips and comments), whilst mobile helps facilitate functionality as activity is primarily on the go and in real time.
FourSquare is growing fast with
over a million check-in's a week now (doubling in a month). This time last year it was Twitter reporting astronomical growth, but 2010 looks to be the year of FourSquare - and instead of growing through celebrity adoption, FourSquare's growth appears to be coming from a combination of virality (with Facebook Connect / Twitter integration fuelling awareness) and the exposure the service is getting from brands and advertisers adopting the service.
One to watch.......
Related posts
FourSquare and Harvard - a tipping point?
Extraordinary Night'..
by (fictional author) Gary Troup featured a story set around the Widmore family and was available to buy from Amazon
