Location Based Services: another addiction

When I first learned about the application FourSquare I was very skeptical. I did not want people to know every place I checked in. I frankly did not want people following my every move and did not like the idea of it potentially being unsafe and people could have the opportunity to essentially stalk me. However, at this point I am completely addicted to the application and have used it both on the computer and on my Droid. Not only can you tell people where you have been in the past but you can also find places that you want to go in the future and check off them on your to do list. This is really interesting to see where you have been and where your friends have been as well. It is also interesting because if you see a bunch of your friends want to go to a particular destination it is a good idea for someone to plan a trip there. I also like to learn more about my friends and knowing where they have been in the past, makes me feel a bit closer to them, especially if we have been to the same places. Consequently, if you are being friends with someone, it allows you to find out similar things you have in common based on where you have been and where you want to go.

It also has became a game. People want to become the mayor of a place and often mayors are rewarded by a discount to a particular business. Often, places such as Bolocco offer the Mayor a free burrito on Monday's and the satisfaction of being the"mayor." Being the mayor simply means you check in to a particular location the most. Friends of mine make it a game to see who can be the mayor the most at particular locations.

I also really like this application from a marketing perspective because it brings in a lot of business by promotions, word of mouth marketing and the opportunity to perhaps see friends and go to a new place they may not have normally gone to. If a friend sees that other friends are a bar they may choose to go this bar or shop instead of another one which could lead to more business overall to the business on the FourSquare application.