In today’s blog post, Allison explores a very specific subset of social media, the location based social network tools.

In order to get someone to do something–click a link, buy a product, check in on Foursquare–you have to prove that it has benefits to them. Let’s call it the “what’s in it for me?” principle. And here’s where location-based networks like Foursquare, Gowalla, SCVNGR and all the other imitators are failing, plain and simple.

When the forerunners of the location social networking craze started, they were very much structured as games. Check in at a bar and get a “crunked!” badge! Play a scavenger hunt in the real world! See where your friends are! Even the language surrounding these networks was all about taking the digital gaming experience into the real world.

But here’s the thing: lots of people don’t have time (or don’t want) to play games in the grocery store, mall, or gas station. They want to get in, get out, and get back to doing things that are actually fun instead of pretending that these mundane tasks are fun. No, what people want is something useful that will help them get in, get out, and maybe save some money.

Ultimately, that’s why adoption rates for location services are so abysmally low, even among the plugged-in social media crowd. They don’t see what’s in it for them. They don’t want a game, they want a benefit. So stop thinking about how people can have fun with these networks, and think about what else they can do.  For example:

• A grocery store app that takes your list and creates a map of your store, showing them the fastest way to do their shopping.
• An app that offers me a buy one, get one free coupon when I walk past a shoe store, or a free soda at a restaurant.

Show people the benefit of location-based networking, and I guarantee it’ll catch on. Keep treating it like a game, and they’ll keep treating it like kid’s stuff.

Over the last few years, location based communities and search tools have skyrocketed in popularity. According to a survey by the Mobile Marketing Association (MMA), one out of every four U.S. adults use mobile location-based services. And nearly half of those users responded in some fashion to location-based advertisements.

Many of the biggest companies in the world are leveraging the power of services like Foursquare and Gowalla to provide loyalty perks to their customers. Are you the mayor of a Starbucks on Foursquare? You get 10% off anything you order at that location.  These tools are equally effective for small business owners. For example, the mayor of Pizzology, a local pizza parlor, gets a free pizza. These specials turn visitors into customers, and customers into brand evangelists.

How can you jump in to the location-based marketing game? Start by doing a little research. Here are just a few of the services we recommend to our small business clients:

• Google Places: Google has become the Yellow Pages for an entire generation. Any time a Google user conducts a location-specific search, matching results appear on a map of the area. Businesses should always make sure to register their business with Google Places to appear in relevant searches.
• Google Hotpot: A relatively new tool, HotPot acts as an extension of Google Places. Users who access the feature can rate places they’ve been so that other consumers can gauge the quality of an establishment based on consumer ratings.
• Foursquare: One of the most popular location-based services for mobile users. Foursquare allows “check-ins”. Whoever checks in to a location the most times becomes mayor, and many places offer discounts to their biggest Foursquare users.
• Facebook Places: A relatively new application from Facebook. Places competes directly with Foursquare, and has seen rapid growth (probably do to the amount of users already using Facebook’s other features). If you plan on listing your business on Foursquare, it should be on Facebook places also.

What location based tools are you fond of? Are you leveraging the power of these tools already?

I’ve never been totally sure about Foursquare and other location based social services. Sure, they can be great for businesses: Drive traffic to your store! See who’s shopping at your store! Offer discounts and deals! But besides those deals and discounts, what’s the benefit to the end user? Many will say  checking in at a location allows you to see where your friends are and meet up spontaneously. This may be true, but who else can see where you’re checking in?

From Portland, Oregon to London, England, reports of Foursquare stalking cases are beginning to roll in. The concerns raised by privacy advocates are twofold: By broadcasting your location, it becomes easier for people to find where you are at any given time–like home alone or in an isolated location. Conversely, just by checking in somewhere, you’re telling the world you aren’t at home, giving them the opportunity to rob your property.

These incidents raise the question: are location-based services safe? What is the end user’s responsibility in protecting their location, and what burden do the social media companies bear? I recently posed this question to Chris Banks, a local Foursquare advocate. He replied “They should have the options there in the open for people to choose how much they’re sharing. Then it’s up to the user.”

While the bulk of the responsibility is on the user, it still seems that the location-based services should offer at least some information on using their networks safely. Currently, the Foursquare site offers quite a bit of information on privacy, including how to make sure only your friends can see your check ins, it mostly ignores the question of when it may not be safe to post your location.

For me, the risks of using Foursquare outweigh the benefits. What do you think? Why do you Foursquare? Do you have any privacy concerns?

Let me start with full disclosure…I’m not really “good” at anything.

I’m not trying to be self-deprecating or anything, I’m just saying that I am part of the majority of average folks. I don’t have trophies or awards lined up along my wall, I don’t have fans or a ton of recognition…I’m just a regular guy.

But I can be Mayor.

Work hard enough, and you can, too.

The latest trend in social media has been Foursquare, which its developers call a “tool of social discovery.” It’s an application which allows users to “check in” when they visit different venues  throughout their city in an attempt to become the most frequent patron of each venue. Once you’ve visited a location more than anyone else, you become “mayor.”

The first thing anyone should know about Foursquare is how large the backlash has been. Trust me, people who think Twitter is dumb are NOT fans of Foursquare, and it’s understandable. In the end, Foursquare can be seen as a dumb game/social experiment. You know, just like Facebook was.

While Foursquare has a ton of impractical uses, it also has some practical ones…especially for businesses.

Every time I check in to Scotty’s Brewhouse, I get 10% off my bill.   SEO Expert, Michael Gray checks in at one Italian Ice Shop over any other just for the possibility of winning a free cone. Even Starbucks has hopped in the Foursquare bandwagon. I guess the only thing to take away from this is….ignore Foursquare at your own peril.

At it’s core, Foursquare is a game you can play with your friends. It’s all about where you’ve been, where you’re going, and most importantly, where you are.

Where am I? Well, I’m firmly entrenched as the reigning Mayor of Roundpeg.

…..

And if you’re worried you may be addicted to Foursquare, use this check list by Louis Gray t to find out for sure.

It seems like there is always something new to keep up with.  A new application, new tool, new toy or new website.   If I took time to check out all of them, I wouldn’t get anything done.

But everynow and then, one new application seems to emerge as a winner.   Recently, FourSquare has emerged as a winner for me.    What is FourSquare?  It is a mobile application, which allows you to tell others where you are.

It integrates seamlessly to Twitter, and the iPhone application is easy to use.  While that is all cool, the question is, why would anyone care where you are?  The simple answer?  It is easy to find your friends, promote cool locations and events, and now Kyle Lacy tells me it can be a good business tool and interesting part of your social media and overall  internet marketing strategy as well.

While I think the badges and “mayor” status are silly, I do like being able to promote my favorite resturants, coffee shops and art exhibits.   And for some of the small business owners who are our clients we are starting to explore how they might use Foursquare to expand their connections to clients.  It has great possiblities for any retail location and I think it will become a core element of the marketing strategy of many small business.

So if you want to know where I am, you can follow me on Twitter, or check in on my at Foursquare, until the next new toy comes along, that I think will be five times as much fun as twitter!