How To Do New Things (and Score Freebies) with Foursquare

Posted on June 14, 2010 by Jennifer Latkiewicz

Even though foursquare was launched back in early 2009,  it seems like most people are still asking “What is foursquare and why are people calling themselves ‘The Mayor’?” It’s like the electoral college – something that you’ve heard of but don’t have the faintest idea of what is actually is.

This foursquare is not the playground game from your childhood – it’s a city guide,  travelogue, friend-finder, game and your golden ticket to special discounts or freebies from your favorite places, all rolled into one and accessed using your cell phone.

Users  “check-in” by updating foursquare with their location – a favorite pizza joint, the neighborhood Starbucks, a café on the Champs-Elysées – anywhere in the world. Share your newest finds, meet up with friends who’ve checked-in nearby or spread the word about your city’s hidden gems.

Each check-in earns you points. Collect the most points and foursquare just might award you a merit badge or two. Visit a particular venue more than other users, and become “The Mayor” to unlock special discounts or freebies.

Starbucks recently announced its own nationwide foursquare “Mayor Special” reward program, a first for both companies. Now that a giant like Starbucks is onboard, expect to see other companies follow suit, meaning even more reasons why it’s good to be “The Mayor”.

HOW foursquare WORKS

“Checking-in” on foursquare (telling foursquare your location) is done on your cell phone. Get the foursquare application if you have a smart phone like the iPhone, Blackberry, Android and Palm Pre. For other phones with a web browser, use the mobile site to check-in.  No mobile web capabilities? Check-in by sending a text with your location (like this: @ Akari Sushi ! Ordering spicy tuna) to ‘50500’.

With each check-in, you’ll be sharing your adventures with your friends. You can recommend top picks, share your must-have tips, and create To-Do lists with places you plan to check out.

Your phone’s GPS is used to find your location but rest easy, foursquare will only track you whenever you check-in. You can also go “off the grid” to hide your location from other users.  Want to keep your ‘shameful’ karaoke nights a secret? An “off the grid” check in allows you to still access foursquare without broadcasting your whereabouts.

Earn points on foursquare for every check-in. 5 points your first check-in at a location or if you’re the first to visit a new venue in town. 1 point for a return visit, increasing by 1 with each additional visit (ex: 1^st check-in of the day is 1 point, 2^nd check-in of the day is 2 points, etc.)

Unlock Badges on foursquare by discovering new places and doing fun, interesting things.  Frequent the same coffee house for your daily latte every morning? Or regularly enjoy a few nights out each week? There are Badges for those kinds of achievements and more.

Become “The Mayor” on foursquare of a particular location by racking up the most visits there and enjoy a few of the perks. With many restaurants and bars are now offering exclusive discounts or freebies to those frequent customers who have achieved mayoral status, being “The Mayor” could earn you anything from a discounted Frappucino to free hotel stays.

Don’t rest on your laurels though – points are ‘reset’ every Sunday at midnight, so if another user checks in more days than you, you’ll lose your title.

Have you tried foursquare yet?