Having a ball with Foursquare

By Sally Saville Hodge

You may be forgiven for not knowing that Friday is the official Foursquare Day…in Manchester, NH.

This is not an observation of the popular playground ball game, Four Square, but of the social network that, having gained some 500,000 users in the year since it launched, is fast shaping up to be tomorrow’s Twitter. (Not to mention a lot more useful.)

Foursquare is a mobile, location-“aware” application. It’s social networking, but also a game, used from your smart phone or mobile device.  You sign up, and when you’re out and about, “check in” from the restaurant, coffeehouse or movie theater – anyplace that attracts a crowd – and a map shows your friends precisely where you’re at. While you’re at it, you might share a tip like this one from a ZED 451 diner: “This is the most unique, sumptuous, adventurous eating experience in Chicago. You feel like you’re a billionaire’s guest in his favorite house.”

But you’re not just connecting and sharing/oversharing with other Foursquarers. There’s a gaming and rewards system built in. You earn points for your check-ins and tips, which help you earn badges (from Newbie to Explorer to Superuser) and other forms of recognition. Get enough of them at certain locations and you can become mayor! Here’s a spot from the reigning mayor of CNN.com News that does a good explanation.

There’s goofy appeal to these rewards, but it’s also just fun to explore and share. I know a frequent traveler who depends on Foursquare’s battalions to guide her to new, cool locations when she’s on the road. The City of Chicago gives that idea form with its ExploreChicago initiative, enticing the Foursquare community with a variety of badges for tapping into hidden treasures in 77 different neighborhoods, exploring 552 parks, and dining at more than 7,000 Chicago restaurants.

For all the risks of everyone knowing exactly where you are at any given point in time, Foursquare opens up some fascinating possibilities from a marketing perspective. ExploreChicago is just one example. Las Vegas’ Wynn and Encore luxury hotels seed Foursquare with tips (like the inspiration for the Encore’s red chandeliers) and the special offers and attention that encourage positive word-of-mouth. And not only can you earn a Starbucks mayorship, but you can also “unlock” a Starbucks Barista Badge, which may ultimately entail more than just bragging rights as the coffeehouse uses Foursquare to test drive customer rewards programs.

Then there’s Manchester, N.H. and its official Foursquare Day. More than 40 businesses are participating in this one-day community celebration, offering everything from discounts off food and drinks to two free months of payroll services to chances for tickets to a country music concert. All the public has to do is show they checked in.

Here’s what’s so intriguing about Foursquare Day. It shows how the Internet and social media can level the playing field for small businesses and make workable strategies to connect with customers attainable at the local level. Blogger Conrad Hall offers up a great explanation here.

The proof, of course, is in making it pay off with more than just buzz. Stay tuned for an update on how Manchester fares.