Is It Worth Investing In Location Based Social Media?

As mobile platforms like the iPhone and iPad are getting bigger so is the “things” users can do on them. The iPhone alone has over 300,000 apps in it’s marketplace! Like mobile devices, social media is also on the rise, this has a lot to do with how they complement each other.

What the smartphone or smart device has done for social media is create a platform and communication that was instant. When people had a sucky experience at random retailer they want to tell everyone as they walk out the doors while steam still pours from their ears because they are so mad! They can do that now. And with the immediacy of information comes the need for a business to be constantly in touch with their social networks. If a retailer didn’t check their Twitter feeds for 2 days, the damage is done. I doubt the customer will consider ever going back after a delayed return message, no matter what you say to them. People are using twitter with businesses like they would if they called them. Asking questions about something they want to purchase, and if you don’t get back to them quickly they have already decided on something else

Back on subject! With the rise of social media and smart devices, something developed called location based social media. Now people could share were they where on a map with their friends.

Foursquare became the forefront in this technology. They actually took the idea of “checking in” to locations and making it a game. Friends compete to be the “mayor” of a location by being the one to check in the most at the same place. You can try collect badges based on the type of location you visit. For example, if you check in at a park with a playground more then 3 times in a week, you get the babysitting badge!

So what this equates to is a type of social media that is about business and business locations, and people love to do it! It’s a win win! You can’t always win at Facebook because people go there for their friends, not necessarily for you. But they do in location based social media.

On top of that you can offer deals! For example a deal would be something like, if customers check in 5 times they get a free milkshake. Or if you become the mayor you always eat free on fridays. The deals are a way for you to interact and play along with the customers interacting with you. Plus if you make them have to come back for multiple checkins then it’s like a reward card, it encourages repeat business.

The best part about all of this, it’s free to get your business on these networks. Foursquare, Facebook, yelp, and others all do checkins now. All you have to do is “claim” or add your business on these social websites for you to get checkin stats, offer deals, and put another step forward in social media stats. And don’t forget to promote people to checkin at your location on all of your sites and place signs in your store to remind them to checkin. Foursquare offers stickers you can put on your entrance door that says “checkin here”.

So the question is… why wouldn’t you invest in location based social media? And all you are investing is time!