Updated Foursquare Business Tools & Resources

A couple of weeks ago, I provided a few tips on improving your business’s position in Foursquare’s search engine.

This week Foursquare launched a renovated business resource dedicated to helping your business succeed with the service. Some of the website’s highlights include:

• Basics to acclimate yourself on why people use the service
• Free tools to get discovered, attract customers, and monitor foot traffic
• Case studies on how other businesses are using the service to drive results

Foursquare has grown into a community consisting of over 25 million people worldwide. It’s important that you review your business’s current presence on Foursquare to ensure it reflects what you want your potential customers to interact with.

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Improving Your Business’s Position in Foursquare’s Search Engine

As Foursquare continues to mature into more than just a check-in service, businesses are paying more attention to their position in the service’s search engine. Foursquare has been focusing heavily on localized search and harnessing the power of their check-in data.

Compared to traditional search engines and SEO, Foursquare’s search engine is nearly impossible to influence with typical SEO tactics. Your business will not rise to the top of the search results by optimizing or building links to your listing. So how do you increase your position in the service’s search results?

Let’s start first and foremost with check-ins. Encouraging visitors to “check-in” at your location, for each and every visit, will only aid in improving your position in the search results. The number one signal that Foursquare uses to determine rankings are check-ins.

Don’t be afraid to ask for the check-in, too. For instance, in a local Offerdahl’s Café Grill that I visit, they have a Foursquare check-in sticker on the door that you can’t avoid as you walk in. Then, as you proceed to read the menu and give your order, there is another sign encouraging you to check-in. Needless to say, I never forget to check-in while I’m there.

Other factors that may affect your rankings to some degree include “likes”, the number of tips, photos and lists your business is added to. Get creative when encouraging visitors to take these actions. Your customers will appreciate discounts, coupons, and specials for taking the time to check-in and leave a tip.

How do you encourage patrons to check-in at your location?

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Foursquare Shifts Focus to Localized Search & Recommendations

Have you visited the Foursquare website recently? As part of Foursquare’s effort to monetize their service, they have unveiled a new prominently featured search box on the homepage. You may notice its striking resemblance to the classic Google search box, which may very well not be a coincidence. A former Googler is on the team that has been working on improving the Foursquare algorithm and the overall search experience and as a result, they have unveiled this release.

This new search box functionality is for logged out users. Now Foursquare.com will provide lots more value to the logged out user than ever before. They have collected intelligence over the past 2 years, spanning from check-in data, lists, likes, dislikes, tips etc., which have all been factored into the search results. And for the app users, all of the standard rich features are still available – no changes to your experience whatsoever.

Does Yelp have some competition to be concerned about? As Foursquare moves further into the local search and recommendations realm, it sounds like they will be taking on Yelp head-on.

Do you see this direction working for Foursquare? Or, do you think they will always be seen as an augmented reality check-in service?

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Foursquare for Business

Foursquare doesn't just allow users to be 'mayor' of a coffee shop they frequent - it's also a great tool for business. Foursquare allows users to 'check in,' every time they visit a venue in real life, and records it both on Foursquare and other social media accounts like Facebook and Twitter (if these accounts have been linked). Brick-and-mortar businesses can offer specials through Foursquare, like rewarding the number of times a customer checks in, making it a great tool for customer loyalty. Venues can also offer other types of discounts, like coupons, to their Foursquare followers. For brands who don't have a brick-and-mortar presence, Foursquare does offer a few options, like check-in specials for when the brand partners with a brick-and-mortar retailer, and badges, which allow customers to complete real-world check-in quests that can get them rewards from the brand.

To learn more about Foursquare for your business, you can visit the Foursquare for Business website, or you can watch this awesome video.

Does Foursquare Make Sense For Your Business?

As of January 2012, the Foursquare community consists of around 15 million people worldwide. Did you know Foursquare has over 1.5 billion check-ins, with millions more every day? There are over 600,000 businesses using the Foursquare Merchant Platform.

So, with these numbers, it is worth asking yourself the question - does Foursquare make sense for my business?

Watch this video to put Foursquare into context:

Foursquare can be used to obtain new customers and keep loyal customers coming back. As a business, you can get really creative with specials, loyalty programs, and discounts. And remember, if you are establishing your business on Foursquare, create a presence that is exciting to engage with. Make a customer’s encounter with you not just simply an interaction but make it an experience.