The Release of Siri: What You Need To Know-Click here http://t.co/uuuHkdwN for full article #NMP
Top Three Social Networks: Part 3
Foursquare is a great way to get your business out there. It's for physical businesses, mainly, but it's still a great tool. We're talking contests; cool, weird badges; and hell yeah, I'm the mayor of In-N-Out Burger!
(If you check in at one place frequently or often, you will become the mayor of that location, giving you bragging rights, and in some cases, perks from that participating business.)
A couple problems with it are that people know exactly where you are at the time you "check in." I normally don't check in every place I go. It could be a problem for some people afraid of stalkers. On the other hand, some people want the attention that comes with letting others know where they are. What shocks me is sometimes I've seen on the news that a wanted criminal was on Facebook to brag about his exploits (and wound up getting caught).
Foursquare also gives you badges, too. Now, I'm not all crazy about those, but they are cool to get, especially if they are shocking ones that I never knew you could get.
Foursquare has released some APIs that are being taken advantage of by third-party companies. I don't use that many, but some developers out there have put out some great stuff. We're talking about coupon sites, better contests, etc.
When it comes to your physical business, Foursquare is a must. I mean, let's face it, you need traffic so why not use a free service to help you? Start a contest, offer something for the mayor and the mayor's friends ... there are tons of different ideas to drive traffic to your store, restaurant, bar, museum, etc.
A couple of tips for using Foursquare:
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If you own a business, use it! Sign up for the business side of Foursquare so you can activate some of the perks. Create your own badge, offer regular customers discounts and prizes, and track the results in real-time
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If you are a consumer and looking to grow in stature, make sure to look up some companies and see what they offer if you check in. Maybe they have some coupons or other gifts
So, those are my three favorite social media networking sites. If you haven't read my first two picks, you can find them here (Facebook) and here (Twitter).