Remember Foursquare, the once-popular social network where users could “check in” to their locations for all their friends to see? Many people have memories of Foursquare’s dominance a few years back, while others have no idea what it even is. Regardless of which category you fall into, understand that Foursquare for Business may not be totally dead.
The State of Foursquare in 2018
What is it?
Foursquare isn’t based solely on check-ins anymore. Now, it’s centered on recommendations and reviews from other people. Swarm, which is owned by Foursquare, is similar to the original Foursquare app.
Reviewers can post pictures, detail their experiences and rate each location one a scale of one to 10. If you’re thinking it sounds a lot like Yelp, that’s because it is! The current version of Foursquare is also similar to TripAdvisor and even Google Maps.
Is it relevant?
While it’s certainly not the social media marketing powerhouse it once was, Foursquare still has a solid user base, with just about a quarter of Americans ages 18 to 34 logging in regularly as of January 2018.
Does it have a future?
Foursquare just recently hired Liz Ritzcovan, a seasoned tech and media professional, as chief revenue officer. She has some big plans for the app, including developing closer relationships with the businesses who use it.
Just like Bing will (probably) never dethrone Google as the world’s top search engine, Foursquare will likely never overtake Yelp. However, with a sizeable chunk of young people using the app, there’s no reason not to have a listing. It’s free!
Who Benefits from Foursquare for Business?
Foursquare mainly benefits B2C companies that rely heavily on foot traffic and sell tangible products. But, unfortunately for B2B companies, they may be better off focusing their social media marketing efforts elsewhere.
This is because people are far more likely to post photos and reviews of that mouthwatering bacon cheeseburger they had at a local restaurant than they are to do the same for their accountant. No disrespect to our fellow B2B companies!
How Businesses can Leverage Foursquare
To use Foursquare for Business in the most basic way, take the following steps:
- Claim your listing on Foursquare
- Optimize it by filling in a description of your company, hours of operation, website link, menu (if you have one), etc.
- Upload photos of your location and products
- Connect your social media accounts
- List any events you’re hosting
Foursquare prompts you to fill out all of the above information after you’ve claimed your listing. The process is very user-friendly, and it probably won’t take you more than an hour to complete.
Advertising
Foursquare for Business also includes a paid advertising feature that expands your company’s visibility on Foursquare. You can advertise the following:
- Your listing itself
- Custom messages related to coupons, offers and events
- Positive reviews from customers
So, while Foursquare may not be first on your list of marketing platforms, it certainly shouldn’t be last.
