Foursquare Day Word of Mouth Marketing
Happy Foursquare Day, everyone! What? You hadn’t heard? It’s April 16, numerically 4/16, and if you’re counting, four “squared” is 16. So, 4 squared is 16. Foursquare- get it?
Rabid fan loyalty and innovation are things that you can’t buy or predict for a brand or product, and Foursquare has both. The location-based social networking app is pulling away from the pack in user-numbers and is starting to generate the kind of following that propelled Twitter to become a social media darling. Foursquare day was thought up by a Tampa, Florida Foursquare fan and has quickly spread through word of mouth and social media to include events in dozens of cities across the country. And what’s more, Foursquare the company has embraced it.
It’s an amazing example of a company embracing fan extension and reinvention of what their brand means- allowing and encouraging people around the country to make Foursquare their own. After a strong showing at this year’s SXSW and several slick updates to the app, Foursquare is riding high with over 500,000 users and a growth chart that their founder says looks more like a ramp than a hockey-stick. For being just a year old, that’s pretty good.
Another aspect of Foursquare that is fueling its growth is that it is both functional and a game. As part of the game-aspect, users win “badges” for various numbers of check-ins or for being in specific places. On Foursquare day, users around the country will win the “Swarm Badge,” which is awarded when more than 50 people check-in to the same place at the same time. It’s not hard to think about all the ways that the badge can be used to get a crowd at your location. Watch this fun video about how AJ Bombers did it.
And then go get your own Swarm Badge and celebrate Foursquare Day!
– Scott James
