I love technology. I love playing around with cute devices that blink and flash. I think it is some kind of childhood wish fulfillment. Technology enables us a level of control that as children we almost never had. We become almost wizard-like. We wave our wands and things happen. Phones ring, text messages are sent, emails get forwarded. And now: pictures are snapped, videos are captured. The incredible success of the iPhone is the most obvious indicator of this. Apart from loving technology for technologies sake, I am truly fascinated by the effects of technology on culture.
Foursquare Is a 21st Century Scavenger Hunt
Foursquare is a geolocation-based application that shows you what restaurants, bars, music and other venues are nearby when you load the application. It also shows you tips and to do lists at various venues from other users. This means that you are more likely to find buried treasure left like a breadcrumb trail around your city.
When you visit a venue, you “check-in” and are awarded points for doing so. Foursquare is a game after all, and competition for bragging rights can get serious. Furthermore, Foursquare gives me the option to ping twitter, but also sends a “push” notification to my friends. What does that mean? Well it means that my extended social circle can see what I am up to, and if I check in someplace near to them, its more likely that they’ll stop by. With regards to Twitter followers outside of NYC, I have followers who tell me they love watching my peregrinations. It’s like playing Where’s Waldo, except I am Waldo. With better clothing. And a beard. And I have 10 fingers.
Foursquare is a friend finder
I cannot tell you how many new friends I’ve made because of Foursquare. It truly breaks down social barriers. There are plenty of people I don’t know in NYC but who happen to be into the very same things as I am, namely good food and fun exciting places. Connecting with these people is like meeting new best friends, without having to devote time to stupid things like shared experiences or getting to know each other, or even trust. Ha!
From a business perspective, foursquare is truly revolutionary, and one that small businesses need to be incorporating now. Why? Because by offering specials and “Mayor” offers (a mayor is the person who has checked-in the most in the previous two months) small businesses have an opportunity to capitalize on business that normally might go elsewhere.
The Business Implications of Foursquare
Let me relate how: Say I am early to a dinner party downtown, I get out of the subway and open up foursqaure to see what’s nearby. Foursquare will show me any specials that nearby venues might be offering. A wine bar I love is offering half-off the first glass of any wine to their mayor. Well, I may just go check in their to see if I can steal the mayorship from their current mayor and get a good deal on a glass of vino. Of course, that first glass of wine turns into two, and I order a little cheese plate as well to sate my appetite until dinner. Furthermore, because I have checked in, if any friends of mine are in the area, they may come by to say hi and then THEY order a glass of wine and all of a sudden, the restaurant has captured business they normally might not have captured. It’s a no brainer.
There was a time when I used make meticulous plans before I went out. Reservations weeks ahead of time, sending email reminders to my dining companions, everything well sorted.
And of course, there are still occasions when that kind of forethought is appropriate.
But more and more, I find myself heading out the door with no specific idea of where I’ll end up. I usually just pick a neighborhood, hit the subway and check foursquare on the other end. I’ll immediately be presented with a bevy of restaurants, cafes, cultural destinations (like museums or great shopping). Its much more spontaneous and fun, and in a city like New York, it forces me to check out places that wouldn’t normally come up on my radar.
Now that may not be the goal of most people, but it does make for a lot of spontaneity which is certainly a goal of mine. It’s what keeps me fresh. And it may change a lot of our behavior going forward as we start to sort through our own cities and become Waldo’s.
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Hi Zachary,
Great post.
You are right that restaurants who leverage Foursquare have an opportunity to get those FS customers who would otherwise not.visit ………and also attract more friends of the first friend. It has a viral effect.
There is also this debate that When Facebook rolls out it’s Geo Location that Foursquare would lose it’s charm and kinda’ be obsolete. What is your take on the future of FourSquare knowing where Facebook is heading?
.-= Nash´s last blog ..How To Create Your First Facebook Ad and Promote Your Restaurant Facebook Fan Page? =-.
Great article Zachary! I completely agree with you – restaurants is a business category that are missing out on great business opportunity on many levels if they ignore Foursquare.
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