Introduction to Foursquare: 4SQ 101

by Murat Can Demirhttp://www.muratcandemir.com

.com

Introduction to

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?Foursquare is a mobile social networking tool/game founded in March 2009.

It is an app that uses the GPS in a mobile device to help users identify their Foursquare “friends” where they are.

What is 4sq?

Over 3 million registered users!

Foursquare has over 3 million active users

with an average daily growth of

19,000 daily users in the month July.

With a growth of 350% from January to

August 2010.

Two in five social network users use geolocation 4% of US online adults have ever used location based

applications and only 1% of them uses them more than once per week

84% of US online adults weren’t familiar with location based apps

Location Based Services (LBS) users in the US are 80% male and 70% are aged 19-35

70% of those LBS users have a college degree or higher

LOCATION BASED SERVICES

The premise of Foursquare is simple:

"Tell Foursquare where you "Tell Foursquare where you are and it will tell you who are and it will tell you who

and what is nearby.“and what is nearby.“

2 MAIN

CHANNELS

MOBILE APPLICATION

WEBSITE

There are three core user components to the service

1. Check-in: each time a user enters a location, they can use their mobile devices’ GPS and the Foursquare app to announce their presence at this location. Users who check into any given location more than anyone else become the “mayor”

2. Badges: users can earn various badges for check-ins and tasks completed (see the next page for some examples)

3. Points: Foursquare users can earn a variety of points for their check-ins. They play against their friends and geographic destinations each week to see who can earn the most points

• The process of telling Foursquare where you are is called "checking-in"

• When asked to locate themselves, users are shown a list of nearby venues (based on GPS)

• To broadcast their location to their friends

• To update their Twitter + Facebook status

• To bookmark or remember where they've been

WHY CHECKIN IN ?

• "Mayors" are those who check-in most often at a given place

• Mayor ship is triggered when a user visits more than 2x within 60 days

MAYORS

THE BADGES

THE BADGES

• Badges are little rewards you earn based on your check in habits (for example, frequenting too many karaoke bars, eating lots of pizza, taking your kids to the playground).

• 4sq ‘s constantly adding new badges, and you can earn fun badges from some of the brands they partner with.

POINTS

Every time you

check in to a venue,

Foursquare awards

you points.

POINTS

• You’re the Mayor! (+3 points)• VIP! You’re hanging out with the mayor! (+3 points)• You just became the mayor! (+5 points)• BFF Bonus: 3 days with Dan this week! (+4 points)• Every checkin counts! (+1 point)• You’re creeping on a friend’s mayorship turf! (+2 points)• You checked in to a place none of your friends have been before! (+2 points)• First time at New Farm Park! (+3 points)• Welcome back! You haven’t been here in 3 months! (+2 points)• That’s 3 days here this week! (+2 points)• It’s your birthday! (+5 points)• Your first Korean Restaurant (+1 point)• Wow, the last time you saw Ted was at The Scratcher 3 months ago! (+4 points)• 587 miles since your last checkin (+3 points; varies by distance)• New state (+4 points)• The Mayor is in the house! (+2 points)• Welcome! It’s your first checkin in China! (+5 points)

Why Important?

Many marketers will ask, why does this matter? It matters because of engagement and being where your customers are, when they are. With the explosion of smartphones and 3G networks, consumers will be using their mobile devices like never before. Staying connected in the mobile

social space is a huge part of that and brands that can figure out how to be involved by adding value, but not being in the way, will be the big winners.

THANKS