The Art of the Mobile Check-In
I’m not sure if I’m in the minority on geographic services, but I enjoy using Foursquare and checking in everywhere. The funny thing is that I don’t often share my check-ins, nor do I ever take advantage of the specials that they offer. So why do I do it? Hmmm… I haven’t figured that out. I do like the fact that the latest versions of the Foursquare app prompt me to check-in when I’m nearby a location I’ve frequented.
It seems to me that we’ve really not broached the real value of check-in applications. By maintaining a record of both where you are and where you frequent, it won’t be long before these applications provide recommendations. Perhaps if I’m up in a section of town and a handful of people are at a coffee shop, the application should let me know that they are nearby and prompt me to join them. Push advertising and push notifications and recommendations may really enhance these services (and give me something to be happy about checking in all the time for).
Facebook, Yelp, Google and Foursquare: They (and many more apps) let users check in to locations and announce to their friends where they are. The number of people checking in is relatively small compared ot those engaging in other mobile activities, but it’s growing, along with the number of businesses using the services to market to new and existing customers.
Intuit had provided this infographic and a great blog post with tips to drive more consumer check-ins.