“People are talkin’…”
They’re sharing, and fanning and following more than ever before. They do it from the car (not recommended), at the bar, while they’re in line, as they browse. It’s a mad, mobile, interconnected world.
Some developers have found new ways to connect us through the places we visit and businesses we frequent.
Sites like Foursquare, Gowalla and MyTown allow you to ‘check in’ to different locations. These location-based games rely on the GPS built into your shiny new smartphone. Think of it as a glorified “here I am” tool for the digitally social.
A quick primer…
Foursquare encourages “people to explore their neighborhoods and then reward people for doing so.” You go to a business, “check in” to Foursquare on your phone. Your friends are notified. You receive recommendations about things to do in the area. You earn points with frequent “check ins” at the same place. The most visits to a venue makes you “mayor” of that venue.
Gowalla works on the same idea, encouraging people to “Go out. Go discover. Go share.” Check in and tell your pals you’ve arrived on Facebook and Twitter. Visits let you earn and trade virtual prizes and swag.
The NY Times says “MyTown turns the real world into Monopoly”. This iPhone-based app lets you virtually buy and rent your favorite real-life locations based on your visits. With more than 500,000 users and and 31 million check ins (at the rate of about 6 per second) – the game aspect is the focus.
Regardless of the emphasis – sharing, digital prizes or collecting rent – people go into local businesses and tell others.
So what’s a business to do?
In some cities, local businesses encourage users to show their phones to servers or cashiers to show their loyalty. Some offer a “Free Drink for the Mayor of Joe’s Cuppa Joe” or “Been here 10x? Free fries for you!” Others promote their participation with signs, Twitter or sidewalk blackboards.
There’s an advantage to hyper-mobile applications like these. You’re engaging potential customers who are already out and about. You can offer them a reason to walk through your door…a sort of digital-coupon with street cred. And because of the social tie-in, the word of mouth offers a return on your investment.
Granted, it’s a niche audience right now – but everything starts somewhere.
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