Tommorrow, Facebook will launch its new feature, Facebook Places.
Following the initial and encouraging success of other location-based social networking platforms like FourSquare, Gowalla and Yelp, Facebook have introduced a similar, but they say very different, element to their existing platform.
Facebook’s CEO Mark Zuckerberg said yesterday, “There are three main things that we are trying to do with Places, help people share where they are in a nice and social way; show who is around you; and finally help you to you see what is going on, and to help you discover new places and things to do.”
Sounds a lot like FourSquare to me!
Those smaller players who are already existing in that space – instead of trying to fight off the Facebook juggernaut, are instead trying to work out ways to work with them and Facebook are including them in development.
When asked if he was disappointed that Facebook had gone down this route, FourSquare’s Holger Luedorf said, “This basically validates that we’re onto something and that we’re adding value. We’re looking forward to working with the Facebook team.”
Well, what else could he say?
Did you know … that there are more than 1 million FourSquare users and it is growing incredibly quickly? No wonder Facebook are interested in the location-based networking now. I work with small businesses and in particular those with shopfronts – boutiques, restaurants, cafes, to boost their brand and increase their customer loyalty with FourSquare. If you would like to find out how I might be able to help you with your foray into location-based marketing, call me TODAY on 02 4324 2594 or email me nick@thebowditchgroup.com.
I have always been excited by the entry of platforms like FourSquare into the market. I hope we haven’t seen the last of their growth now that Facebook have worked out how they can leverage it better.
Are Facebook being that person at work who steals all of your ideas and then takes credit? Or is the onus more on the little players like FourSquare to be responsible for their own growth and longevity?
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