Foursquare iOS Update Delivers Check-In Incentives

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Foursquare Check-InFoursquare on Wednesday launched an updated iOS app that offers incentives when users share their check-in insights on Facebook and Twitter.

In describing the new app update Foursquare says:

“Love checking in and seeing that you’ve passed your record for weeks in a row at the gym? Now we’ve made it easier to share the insights you see after you check in on Twitter, Facebook, and more. Just tap the share button to show off your 30-week gym streak, an awesome special that you unlocked, or a great tip from a friend.”

When a user checks in they are shown how many similar businesses they have checked into recently and now data from their account can be shared with a users social networks.  [Read more…]

Foursquare Prepares Ad Retargeting And In-App Ads

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Foursquare AdsFoursquare has been shifting its platform lately in an attempt to realign itself as a Yelp web 3.0 of sorts, and on Monday the company rolled out ad retargeting and in-app ads support.

The company is currently seeking out advertisers who want to re-target ads to Web users based on their check-ins and to serve up interstitial ads via the Foursquare mobile apps platforms.

Foursquare has had a hard time raising money lately, relying on a funding round based around loans instead of outright investments. Many analysts have questioned whether or not the Foursquare business model is feasible.

Under the new system, users who check into stores might see a pop-up for that store’s products immediately upon check-in. Users might then see the same or similar ads the next time they are sitting at their desktop or using their notebook.  [Read more…]

Foursquare Possibly Switching Focus From Check-In To API Data

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Foursquare dataFoursquare co-founder Dennis Crowley believes the company can survive in the local search business by pulling in API data from third-party developers who use the company’s platform to generate location based data.

Speaking at a keynote presentation at South by Southwest Crowley explained:

“If people think it’s all about mayorships, that muddles the story. We’re starting to put a lot of that stuff in the background.”

Foursquare currently provides its API to more than 40,000 developers who utilize the company’s 50 million points of interest.

Among Foursquare’s users are the Twitter-owned Vine, Facebook’s Instagram and mobile network Path. [Read more…]

Foursquare ‘Explore’ Feature Now Available For Non-Members

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Foursquare MapsFoursquare is expanding its Explore feature to non-members.

A new link button via the Foursquare Web service allows members to share a link to venue pages for people who do not use Foursquare.

The mobile app rolled out a button for the service in early February, priming the platform for further expansion.

The new feature generates a URL that can be accessed without logging into Foursquare.

Many analysts have complained that Foursquare needs to expand its service to survive an onslaught on competition. By allowing non-members to access venue information the company could become a more capable open ratings and local search platform. [Read more…]

Foursquare Loses Product Manager To Flipboard

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Christen DuongFoursquare has lost product manager Christen Duong. After two years with the company she announced plans to move from New York City to San Francisco. Christen is making the move so she can join another starup, Flipboard.

Christen was a fast moving achiever for Foursquare, over her short time with the company she helped roll out a completely redesigned mobile app. She also helped role out the Explore tab for discovering new venues and helped in the development of contextual pages that show tips from friends alongside pictures they post.

Just as she did at Foursquare Duong will help Flipboard develop better content discovery methodologies for its various publishing partners.  [Read more…]

Foursquare Launches Stand-Alone App For Business Customers

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Foursquare for BusinessesFoursquare on Tuesday debuted a stand-alone mobile app geared towards businesses. The new app delivers the location based services Web business venue management tools to mobile devices. The app is targeted towards small business owners.

Available for Google Android and Apple iOS apps the new Business app allows business managers to create updates about their businesses and then push those updates out to current customers.

Business users can also use the new Foursquare app to share updates via Twitter and Facebook.

As an added benefit business owners can also turn on and off specials and monitor recent check-ins.  [Read more…]

Foursquare Shows Off What 500 Million Check-Ins Looks Like On World Map

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FoursquareLocation based services app Foursquare has published a map of the world which showcases exactly what 500 million check-ins look like. The map focuses on check-ins implemented over the last three months.

The move to showcase its importance comes less than a month after financial research firm PrivCo claimed that Foursquare was having a hard time raising venture funding. PrivCo believes Foursquare will be purchased in 2013 for less than its total funding.

Foursquare is estimated to be collecting upwards of 5 million check-ins per day with many of its users located in tech savvy cities including New York City and San Francisco.

The location based service says its more than just about maps, Foursquare aims to provide “amazing personalized recommendations” that businesses can use and users love.  [Read more…]

Instagram Debuts New Filter Type, Announces Foursquare Integration

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Instagram New Filter and Foursquare IntegrationAfter ditching full photo displays (Vcards) from Twitter on Monday the team at Instagram wasted no time in debuting new features of its very own. The world’s largest social photo sharing platform announced updates for both its iOS and Android apps.

Instagram’s new features include integration with Foursquare, improvements to its camera integration standards and a new black-and-white filter.

All location pages for Instagram now feature a Foursquare button which launches the Foursquare app if installed or a website location if the Foursquare app is not featured on the users smartphone. In both cases Foursquare provides information about the venue where the photo was taken.

Also included via the update is a new grid guide that is used when taking or editing photos. Users can also now preview their most recent photos.

Photos also now save in the app and in a separate album on the users iOS or Android smartphone. The new album is simply titled Instagram.  [Read more…]

Foursquare Monetization Coming In The Form Of Targeted Ads

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Dennis Crowley Talks Foursquare Ads

Foursquare CEO Dennis Crowley is bringing monetization to his company’s location based service with the help of monetized ad spots that are targeted to certain user groups, such as repeat customers.

Crowley was speaking at the Pando Daily event in New York on Thursday night where he announced the discounts program. Users will find discount ads under the Explore tab. According to Crowley the Foursquare ads will be “targeted just at local, and exclusively on mobile.”

At this time the trial period will include around 25 customers including Best Buy and Old Navy. If users respond favorably to the sponsored ads more will roll out in the future.

Foursquare waited to release the program because the company will still figuring out how to more effectively understand their collected user data. According to Crowley:

“We just now have the tools to build the recommendation engine, to build the dashboard.” [Read more…]

Foursquare Teams With Open Table, Launches In-App Reservations For Android, iPhone

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Foursquare and Open TableLeading location based service provider Foursquare has partnered with dinner reservation provider Open Tablet to bring restaurant table booking directly to the Foursquare platform for mobile devices.

The new feature is available for iPhone and Android users.

While Foursquare started as a simple “check-in” program it quickly began to amass business appeal and eventually partnered with American Express.

Since launching the programs “explore” tab the company has been looking for new ways to add value to the platform.

Using the new system Foursquare users can find restaurants near their location as they always could and now they can check-in to those locations after reading reviews, all without leaving the Foursquare mobile app.  [Read more…]