Okay, so your business has its own website, Facebook, and maybe Twitter. You’re all set… or are you?  Well, not quite. There is one new trend that is quickly rising within the social media field and it is what’s known as a “location-based service.” What is that exactly? Well, location-based services are applications for your smart phone that allow you to check-in. A check-in is basically letting people know that you are at a specific location. The mobile apps use the phone’s GPS to determine what locations are near the user. From there they can check-in to the closest location, and that location just might be your business.

Why should your business take part in location-based services? Well there are a few reasons:

1. When your customers check into your location using their smart phone, you have the ability to see how often they visit.
2. You have the ability to track whether customers are saying good or bad things about your business.
3. You also have the ability to see if customers recommend certain items, which will in turn help you to understand which items you can market more.

Sound intriguing? So, how do you get started?

1. Claim your Location.
2. Make it known to your customers that you are participating in a location-based service.
3. Begin to offer deals and specials to customers who use the location-based service.

However, there are many location-based services to choose from. Two of the most popular services are Facebook Places and Foursquare.

You have probably heard of how beneficial Facebook Places can be for your business. For those of you who are unaware of what Facebook Places is, it is an additional application to Facebook that allows users to check-in to places they visit using the GPS on their smart phone. If checking in to a business, users can claim deals that award them discounts, specialty deals, and more. Users can then share their check-ins and rewards with their friends on Facebook. Facebook currently boasts approximately 700 million users, and out of that 700 million, approximately 150 million regularly use its Facebook Places service.

In addition to Facebook Places, another location-based service is taking people by storm. It’s called Foursquare, and it was actually the inspiration for the relatively new Facebook Places. Foursquare is a completely separate application for smart phones, and it has a completely different user base. Allowing users to take advantage of deals and rewards, they are also awarded badges and points for every check-in they do.

Frequent check-ins can allow the user to be crowned the “mayor” and receive exclusive mayor deals. Foursquare runs off of the idea that check-ins aren’t just about telling people where you are, but having fun while doing it. With over 380 million check-ins by the end of 2010 and almost 7 million users, it can easily be said that Foursquare is growing.

Will your business have a new “mayor” soon, or will it be shared on one of the biggest social networking platforms to date? It’s your choice. We’ve created this presentation using Prezi, an online presentation software, to provide you with as much information as possible to make your decision. Take a look!