Apr 27, 2010

Foursquare networking site rewards users and businessesBy Ann Marie Van Den HurkKentucky.com

Kentucky — “Check in.” “You are the mayor.” “You’ve earned the Bender Badge.” If you know what I’m talking about, you’re one of the growing number of users of Foursquare, a company that’s on the verge of becoming a household name like Twitter. And it’s a service that area businesses can leverage to increase awareness and gain more devoted customers.

Foursquare is an online social networking site built around using your mobile devices to “check in” at locations you visit and connect with friends. Users are often rewarded with discounts and achievements called “badges.” Foursquare joins GoWalla and Brightkite in the arena of location-based social networks; combined, they have more than 2 million users worldwide.

So what does this mean for businesses? Right now, mostly retail businesses such as restaurants and coffee shops are using this new platform. For them, Foursquare and the other location-based social networks serve as a public loyalty program, providing business owners with valuable information about customers while making it easy for customers to share their favorite places with friends. It gives new opportunities for businesses to promote themselves and build relationships with customers. Foursquare lists 1.4 million businesses worldwide.

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