I was recently reminded of just how useful Foursquare can be, on a trip to Hungary. In spite of the very foreign language, my friends and I were able to learn the idiosyncrasies of every venue and site; what to try, avoid, how much to pay, what to ask for and when to visit, all courtesy of the app.
And Foursquare have recently made an exciting move which should see it become even better. They’ve opened up a developer portal for app makers, which is set to bring entirely new levels of collateral to the location network. The Weather Channel, for example, are to deliver a location’s forecast on the first checkin of a day, Eat This Not That by Men’s Health Mag will advise on healthy dishes to choose in restaurants, and Instagram has integrated its photo tool. More [here]. It’s a big move for Foursquare, and one brands should be aware of.
There are countless opportunities for savvy brands who have an empathy for what Foursquare’s 20m users need, and when they need it. Opportunity.
