Going Geo-Loco

You were flummoxed by Twitter. It took you a while to warm up to Facebook.

And just when you think you’ve got it all figured out, people start saying things like Foursquare and mention badges and mayorships and points and… then you stop, plug your ears and run screaming from the room.

Well, not really. But you do think, Do I really need to know about this?

Yeah, probably.

Location-based social media platforms are the new big thing in social media. Facebook recently created its own location-based service called Facebook Places. Considering that one out of every 14 people in the world is on Facebook, this development could potentially open the door to widespread adoption of location-based services by consumers.

How does this affect you? Now, not only are people saying what they’re doing, they’re telling you where they’re doing it, opening doors for direct-to-consumer interactions at the point of purchase for companies of all sizes. Right now, if you’re interested in diving into the world of location-based services, the most established is Foursquare. The following are some quick tips to get started making the most of this platform:

• Own Your Venue – Even if you aren’t actively using Foursquare, that doesn’t mean your customers aren’t checking in at your business. By participating in Foursquare and claiming your venue with the service, you can see who is checking in and will have access to analytics about how your business is engaged on the service.
• Offer Venue Specials – Give discounts to those who check in at your location or who are “mayor” of your venue. The mayor is your most loyal customer on Foursquare.
• Thank Customers – If you’re on Twitter and you see a customer check in at your business, thank them for visiting and ask them about their experience.