Do you know Foursquare? Do you like it? Do you think it’s nonsense? Is it only for web geeks?
I love the song “Follow the leader” so much that I did just that: following Sebas Muriel, I joined Foursquare to see what it was all about, and I was hooked from day one.
If on Twitter you tell your friends or contacts “what you’re doing” and on Facebook “what’s on your mind”, on Foursquare you can share – if you want to – where on earth you are with your friends, your contacts and even your boss.
What practical uses do I see for it?
Bars and restaurants: Handy if you are in an area or city you don’t know and it’s time for lunch, dinner or a beer. If there are tips from other users, even better. I used it successfully when I arrived in Barcelona at 11 at night and found an excellent Asian restaurant. So use it to track down new restaurants.
Example: El Güero Venezuelan restaurant, which so far has only positive reviews. Have a look here
Shops: From a chemist’s, dry cleaner’s, bank or florist to a supermarket. Really useful, because sometimes you don’t know about the shops near your home or office. If you have a small shop, what are you waiting for to add it to Foursquare?
Example: A furniture and home décor shop with real bargains on an industrial estate: La Hacienda
Travel and tourism: I use this when I travel to add all the monuments and points of interest of the city or town I’m visiting, so that it’s easier for those who come after me. Churches, museums, monuments, tourist offices, parks and gardens… whatever you like. For my part, to contribute to Web 2.0, I add opening hours, contact phone numbers, websites, prices and comments.
Example: Cala Montjoi, a holiday village set in a nature park near Roses and El Bulli. Take a look
Nightlife and drinks: Of course. It can be an excellent leisure guide to decide which bar to go to next for a drink, or to see whether any of your contacts are already there. If you are outside your usual area or city, even better: you won’t be lost.
Example: A cool cocktail bar for a drink in the Hortaleza neighbourhood. Yes Si Lounge
Networking: It’s about making contacts or sharing interesting networking venues with your contacts. At least that’s what I do. If, for example, I’m at the Club Financiero Génova or the Cámara de Comercio Franco-Española (Franco-Spanish Chamber of Commerce), I share it with the rest of my contacts by connecting Foursquare to Twitter or Facebook. And this is optional, too.
You can also see which interesting contacts are at an event where it’s hard to keep track of all the attendees, so you can add them straight to your network.
Businesses: If you have a business, you can add it to Foursquare so that employees, customers and suppliers check in; in a way, they’ll be advertising you. In my case, I’ve added our 6 business centres and described the services we offer – the point is to sell ourselves, isn’t it? Don’t forget to add the full address, contact phone number and website.
Example: A business centre on the Paseo de la Castellana where you can just turn up and work. AFFIRMA
In the year I’ve been tinkering with Foursquare, I’ve become “mayor” – the person who visits a place most often – of 30 venues. As I said, it’s not about winning badges but about adding points of interest that can help other users, or promoting businesses or places we are fans of.
Mobility is another plus of Foursquare: with a BlackBerry, iPhone or Android you can check in directly from the app, add new places and contacts, add tips, see who’s around… Another advantage is the integration with Google Maps, so you can find the place easily and get your bearings.
Here is my Foursquare profile so you know where I am, if I make it public: follow me
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