While names like Foursquare, Gowalla, and SCVNGR are easily recognizable among people involved in mobile technologies or social media, the everyday person knows surprisingly little about the latest mobile/social trend: location-based social media.
With the launch of Facebook Places a few weeks ago, people are gaining knowledge about what these ‘services’ are, but many still know very little about them. Those who are informed fall into two main categories: People who have quickly jumped on-board (some of my friends’ news feeds are already littered with location check-ins from their week’s various activities), and people who are opposed to the services altogether (to the extent that they are disabling all Places features in the Facebook settings).
While the audience of this blog is likely the people who already have knowledge about location-based social networking, I wanted to take some time to explain (in summary) some of the key differentiators between the four major services (something I was curious about before researching for this post). I will then leave you with some final conclusions about the future of check-in services and there role in the social media landscape. So without further adieu, we’ll start things off with…
Arguably the front-runner in the race, Foursquare was the first on the check-in scene. Currently, the service has more than 3 millions users, with approximately 18,000 new users joining every day. Foursquare offers the ability to connect with friends and family through Facebook and Twitter and also allows for automatic posting to those site as well. The main features of Foursquare that differentiate it from the other services are badges and mayorship. Badges are earned by checking in at various places under predetermined circumstances. Sometimes it’s as easy as checking into the same location multiple times, however, other badges might require that you be checked in to a location at the same time as 50 other people.
Becoming a mayor of a location is also a unique-to-Foursquare feature that is ‘activated’ by checking into any location more times than any other Foursquare user. Additionally, becoming a mayor of certain locations could result in special perks or offers (such as drink specials at a bar). Watch out though—once you become a mayor, you need to defend your title. If anyone ever checks in to a location more than you have, you lose your coveted mayor status.
Both badges and mayorship offer both digital and real-world rewards, and striving to earn the most check-ins, badges, and mayor titles is something often fought over by devoted users vying for the top spot (your status is ranked on a public leaderboard). Will these features be enough to keep Foursquare at the head of the pack or will the company need to develop new features to stay ahead of the game? Only time will tell, but other companies are already putting their own unique twists on location-based social networking, including…
Gowalla was the second to the scene, but in my opinion, remains the least-known of the four check-in services discussed in this post. I can’t say exactly why I feel this is the case, but in terms of the general buzz within my social circle, I hardly ever hear mention of Gowalla. That’s not to cast the service in a negative light, though, as Gowalla has some very cool features that cause it to stand out among its competitors, including stamps, pins, and items. (As with Foursquare, Gowalla also offers the option to connect with Facebook and Twitter.)
Stamps are Gowalla’s way of handling check-ins. Rather than a simple “I am here,” Gowalla users earn a stamp every time the check in to a location (in a fashion resembling stamps on a passport). Although the stamps have cool designs, most are industry (rather than location) specific. There are some stamps, though, that are unique to single (and usually well-known) locations, e.g. the Golden Gate Bridge. Pins are Gowalla’s equivalent of Foursquare badges. Pins are earned for doing ‘special’ check-ins, including predetermined locations or multiple-location trips.
All that said, the most unique feature to Gowalla is items. Items are digital items (as the name would imply) that can be picked up at different locations. The items can then be held by users indefinitely or dropped at a different location. One cool feature of these items is their attached history. For any item that a user picks up, he/she can see where the item has been, and, if dropped, where the item goes. It’s adds a whole new twist to the “six degrees of separation.”
Furthermore, some items have a real-world promotional value. In a partnership deal with Incase, finding a special “Incase backpack” item inside of an Apple Store allowed a user to redeem the item for a free , real Incase backpack. By adding the potential for real-world rewards to their service, Gowalla should gain traction among the other check-in services. They do need to be aware of competitors offering similar incentives, though, including newcomer…
SCVNGR is the newest dedicated check-in service to enter the game, but it has gained a quick following and continues to rapidly expand it’s user-base. The Google-supported (not owned) company has seen tremendous growth in a very short period of time, gaining 100,000 new mobile app downloads in a 48 hour span (Sept. 7-8). Although SCVNGR offers many functions similar to its competitors (check-ins, Facebook/Twitter integration, treks) one of the biggest differences offered is the ability to complete challenges at the location you are checked in to.
Each challenge gives you points, which, at certain locations, can be redeemed for real life rewards (e.g., free food or drinks). All locations offer a ‘stock set’ of three challenges, including social/bump check-ins (for a point multiplier), a comment challenge (where users can post thoughts or advice), and a photo challenge (upload a photo taken at the location). Furthermore, some locations offer custom challenges, which can involve taking a photo of you stacking condiment containers (Chipotle) or typing in the name of an off-the-menu item (Sushi Rock).
Challenges may be just the differentiator that SCVNGR needs to expand its user-base to match or overtake its competitors. By providing people with something to do, SCVNGR is helping to create better word-of-mouth buzz around their service which will hopefully result in additional use. Just think, you would be much more curious about people stacking condiments on a table than you would be if someone were simply using their phone.
Still, while each of these three competitors has a unique offering, you can’t ignore the latest addition to location-based social media…
Although it is technically an add-on (as opposed to a dedicated service), and it arguably has the least to offer, when Facebook Places was launched, it pushed check-in services into the mainstream. By gaining an instant [potential] user-base of over 5 million people, Facebook is poised to jump to the head of the pack with only minor effort. While it’s basic functionality mirrors the other services, the differentiating component of Places is the ability to check-in other people.
Unless someone has specifically turned this feature off, and user of Facebook Places can not only check-in themselves to a location, but they can also check in anyone they are with (assuming they are friends on Facebook). While this feature initially caused a lot of controversy, Facebook has defended the functionality and promoted their commitment to privacy (I’ll allow you to make your own judgments about that).
In Conclusion
Even if Places doesn’t gain widespread use, the fact that it brought location-based social networking into the spotlight of the mainstream has been a great promotional tool for everyone in the business. Both Foursquare and SCVNGR have reported increases in use since the launch of Places, and I think it is safe to assume that Gowalla is also experiencing the same effect.
One important thing to keep in mind with any location-based service though is security. There have already been reports that some burglars are now monitoring check-in service sites to determine when people are not home. If you or someone you know uses any of these services, you may want to double check your privacy settings. As with any social media, it is important to be aware of who has access to the information you post online.
While some people may dismiss these types of services as fad that will soon fade, it is my opinion that they will continue to grow and evolve. When Twitter was first launched, it was met with the same dismissive attitudes, but it has since risen to the second most popular online social network. And while Foursquare, Gowalla, or SCVNGR may never rise to the level of Twitter or Facebook, it is safe to say that location-based social media is here to stay.
