Wouldn’t it be cool if you could check-in at online retailers, both large and small, on FourSquare? Currently, to my knowledge, both FourSquare and Yelp only work for brick-and-mortar businesses. I love both Yelp & FourSquare, and think they are both really beneficial online tools for small businesses. The other day we wrote about FourSquare Mayor Promotions for Small Businesses. As a way to promote certain Catalyst Marketers blog posts, we start discussions in LinkedIn Groups around the topic of the blog post. During a recent LinkedIn discussion about FourSquare, the idea of FourSquare for online businesses was born.
UPDATE: Download our new FREE eBook: How to Use Foursquare to Grow Your Business
Think about it for a minute. You probably purchase online products and services all the time, right? Just as you purchase products & services from brick-and-mortar businesses. As you shop for products and services online, you probably stop in at a few different online retailers while you’re researching the product. You’re running your ONLINE errands. When you run your real world errands, you can check-in on FourSquare at all of the brick-and-mortar retail locations that you visit throughout the day. Those businesses benefit greatly from you spreading the word to your followers that you’re visiting their business. Well, why can’t e-commerce businesses receive the same benefits?
What if FourSquare offered code for online businesses to serve up on their e-commerce website. The code would display a “Check-In on FourSquare” button on every page of the e-commerce site – think ReTweet button for Twitter. Now, whenever a consumer lands on a page within a website that she wants to share with her network, she can simply Check-In at the Website by clicking the FourSquare Check-In button. The code, like the ReTweet code for Twitter, would be open to large e-tailers like Amazon all the way to small blogs and e-commerce sites.
The idea benefits everyone. Consumers and fans of FourSquare now get to use FourSquare in a whole new way. Who knows, this may open up even more cool special savings opportunities to consumers through those online businesses who integrate with FourSquare. Just as brick-and-mortar businesses are offering specials to the FourSquare Mayor of their small business, online retailers can do the same OR come up with different ways to entice consumers to check-in on their website.
FourSquare would benefit as now user’s can use FourSquare both online and in the real world. Time spent on FourSquare by current users will increase, and new user’s may take notice. Some people don’t like pulling out their phones and checking-in at local businesses while they are out, but if they can simply click a button on the website that they are on, they may be more inclined to participate.
Online retailers are now able to capitalize on the same FourSquare benefits as brick-and-mortar businesses. By placing the FourSquare Check-In button on their site, they allow consumers to market their product and services for them. If those products and services are remarkable, then consumers are happy to spread the word to their friends.
This doesn’t have to apply solely to e-commerce sites. I’d love to have a “Check-In on FourSquare” button on the Catalyst Marketers blog. Whenever a reader lands on a post, he/she can Check-In on FourSquare at the Catalyst Marketers blog. FourSquare’s code should capture the URL that the user is currently on when he Checks-In and then FourSquare should display that URL in the alert that’s sent out to the user’s followers. This function has the ability to drive a ton of traffic to the Catalyst Marketers blog as our site is now getting in front of the user’s FourSquare networks, as well as, possibly his Facebook & Twitter networks. That’s pretty powerful, right?
What problems do you see with this idea? How can those problems be overcome to make this happen?
Tags: creative marketing, foursquare, online business, online social tools
Check-In at Amazon.com on FourSquare…
Wouldn’t it be cool if you could check-in at online retailers, both large and small, on FourSquare? Currently, to my knowledge, both FourSquare and Yelp only work for brick-and-mortar businesses. I love both Yelp & FourSquare, and think the…
Check-In at Amazon.com on FourSquare…
FourSquare is a great tool for brick-and-mortar businesses. What if FourSquare allowed users to Check-In at online retailers like Amazon.com or Ebay.com?…
Very interesting idea. I think there is an element of foursquare and the location GPS data that makes it so attractive. It makes it a little more fun because users have to physically get out in the real world to use it and it utilizes some of the latest innovative technology. Although, I think something like you’re talking about would help foster word-of-mouth and give people a chance to say “look at the site I visited.” It’s definitely an interesting idea, I’d be curious on someone else’s feedback. If I had to think of anything similar, it’d be something like StumbleUpon.
Matt – Thanks for taking time to read the post AND leave a comment. I really appreciate it. Yes, I agree there is that real world element of FourSquare that makes it so unique and fun. I love that side of it. I’m going to continue to use FourSquare as it’s been designed and I hope more small business owners begin to take advantage of FourSquare as well. I’m thinking that this may simply open FourSquare up to more users, as well as, provide a service that all businesses, both brick-and-mortar & E, can take advantage of. I’m glad to hear that you think it’s an interesting idea. I too hope others will weigh in with their thoughts.
Best,
Ryan Taft
I totally agree. Appealing to online businesses seems like an obvious next strategic move for foursquare. Limiting themselves to brick-and-mortar businesses is certainly not scalable.
As an example, I work for StudentUniverse.com which is a discounted online travel agency that appeals to youth travelers. Wouldn’t it be cool if users could check-in when they purchase a flight? That’s certainly something to be excited about and share. We love adopting new concepts like this but foursquare just doesn’t lend itself to this type of interaction as of now.
Paul –
I’m glad we had a chance to connect within our Bentley University LinkedIn group, and we are now extending that conversation to our blog. Pretty cool how all of this stuff works, huh? Pretty soon we’ll end up meeting at some conference or doing business together. You just never know what’s going to come from all these great online relationships.
Thanks for taking the time to leave a comment. I really appreciate it. I definitely think allowing your customers to share their travel bookings would be a great idea. Customers get to share their happy feelings about booking a flight with their friends and you benefit from your customers doing your marketing for you. Hopefully foursquare is listening
Thanks again Paul,
@RyanTaft
I would love the option to check in to online businesses. being an online business owner, this would help a ton with feedback
John -
Thanks for taking time to read the post AND leave a comment. We totally agree. I haven’t heard anything about plans to incorporate something like this from foursquare, but hopefully as more people talk about it, foursquare will consider it. Have you read our free eBook on How to Use Foursquare to Grow Your Business? You can download it here: http://www.CatalystMarketers.com/foursquare/ – I’d love to hear your thoughts on it.
Best,
@RyanTaft
So it sounds something like Blippy, but with pts, right?
Pablo – Yes, that’s a good analogy. Thanks for taking time to read the article & leave a comment. We appreciate it.
Best,
@RyanTaft
I love the idea but….I run a online and a brick and mortar store. The way I see it foursquare and even yelp are geared to driving the customer into the store and using the special coupons after check in might mean I give my customer a product discount that I might not offer online. I reward him for visiting me or maybe even buying a coke out of my box. That’s an extra .45ยข I wouldn’t have made on my sell to that online customer that had no reason to come see me. Like I said though I do like the idea.
Very good point Gentry. What we are saying is that foursquare should expand their offering so that they can do more. I’m glad you liked the article!
Best,
Ryan Taft