After attending Affiliate Summit West it is painfully clear that this post needs to be made. Upon moving to New York City in August, I immediately gravitated towards the tech community. When we would arrive to a networking event I noticed everyone was “checking in” to the location. Not on Twitter but on FourSquare. I quickly downloaded the app which would become one of my most used iPhone apps.
Stalk much?
Yes FourSquare can seem creepy to some people because it shows your location to others. It is a pro can con. I like using it to find the location address. It can be a con if you don’t want someone to know where you are. There is a feature that you can use to hide your whereabouts. You can check in without showing your location. I have a few other ideas on how to handle this. The way in which you use FourSquare is a personal preference but these are my opinions on it. For starters, I do not have my avatar on FourSquare. If I check in somewhere and someone else is there, I may not want them to be able to find me. I may change it to another icon that is not my face because if you do not have a photo uploaded, you cannot be the mayor of anything.
What is a mayor?
FourSquare has not only made it’s application a way to share locations but has also turned it into a game. I think this feature has made the app more fun and has people talking about it. As you explore the city you are in you can keep track of where you go and win badges such as a Newbie badge which will be the first one you get. It is also useful when you can find popular locations that are near you. This sometimes helps me find new venues.
Discover Your City:
You can use FourSquare not only to discover cool new places but also to see why you want to go there. This is because you can add tips and even get deals from the locations. Your friends and people in the area can add a tip for example by sharing their favourite meal at a restaurant or even a bad review. There are some places that offer you a free drink if you are mayor. Being mayor means you check in to the location more than anyone else does.
Don’t be the Oversharer:
When I arrived at Affiliate Summit West I had many friends asking me about FourSquare and why they should join. Some newbies really did not know how to use the tool like my friend cough cough TheRealTimJones. Tim is an awesome marketer but someone FourSquare would call an “oversharer.” I got this badge when I was on the Vegas Strip checking into too many locations. Tim would get into a room, check in, go to the bathroom, come back and check in again. It is all because he was trying to oust Andrew Bennett as the mayor of Affiliate Summit West but he did not succeed. In fact, the only thing he succeeded in was killing my iPhone battery.
Notification Settings:
You can change the settings to make sure that you do not get notified each time someone checks in somewhere. I like to keep this setting on especially during a conference to see where people are headed. However one setting I have turned off for my own profile is to link to Facebook and Twitter. If someone wants to see what I am doing on FourSquare they can find out but IMO I don’t want to tell them three times where I am.
Accept Friend Request?
Lastly, be careful when accepting new friends. These people will get to see your information which may include your phone number, Twitter, and Facebook. You may be Twitter friends but this may be someone you don’t want having your phone number. Have fun with FourSquare and use it to connect with people. It is another great addition to the world of social media. Use it whichever way makes you feel most comfortable.
Newbie Basic FourSquare Tutorial:
1. Download the FourSquare app
2. Click the Check-in button
3. Either find favourites and locations around you or Search for the name of the place you are at the top.
4. Select which location you want to check into.
5. You can add a shout which will share why you are there and then click “Check-in here.”
6. You can also view on the people tab who is there or details like a map of the location.
7. If you enjoyed your time at this location feel free to enter in a tip for your friends to see. Just click on the tab tip and click on “Add a tip here.”
I hope this helps you make a decision on how to use FourSquare. When you check in somewhere it will show others your first name and last initial. I suggest trying it out at least during your next conference. The city you live in may not be using it much depends on your location. It can be a great tool if you use it right. Follow the hashtag I started #foursquaretutorial for updates.
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By the way there is app for blackberry now
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@TheRealTimJones I like getting the notifications normally most people don't use it like you do! :) I also hate losing points when switching cities.
@DanielMClark thanks for sharing, I will check out the 6 tips on your blog!
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Otherwise it's good, but I think only the conference thing is way oversharing.
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MicroSteph...and others -- you do know there's an option to shut all those annoying notifications off, so even if someone (what? who? me? never!) was oversharing (that sounds a lot like rules -- I don't like rules), it wouldn't affect you. :)
Great post, Steph and a very good primer for the latest geek game.
I did notice that all those points I racked up in Vegas, though did not transfer once I changed cities. Not happy about that. Now, I have to overshare, drastically to win in my own town, this week.
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