What do you think your customers want? A badge or information on a good deal?
So far, here’s what location-based apps can do for your customers:
- Foursquare lets you tell your “friends” where you are and become mayor of a business. (Does Gowalla do anything different?)
- Google Places and Yelp let you review the businesses you check into.
- SCVNGR rewards you for completing task at specific places.
- Shopkick gives you discounts and rewards when you complete a virtual treasure hunt.
There are more services but this list covers the basic rewards of location-based apps. So what’s the big deal? Are your customers really going to use these apps? Here’s an interesting take on it all:
What we’ve known for a long time is that what consumers really crave is control over the shopping experience and with it, the information required to make informed and satisfying buying decisions.
via Mobile Apps: “We Don’t Need No Stinking Badges” | Retail Prophet.
Doug Stephens specifically points to ShopSavvy for showing shoppers where they can get the best deal on what they want. Stephens says consumers want to learn something. I agree. In the long run, successful location-based apps and campaigns will answer any of these questions:
- Where can I find something to eat/drink/buy near me now?
- Can anyone tell me if this is a good place to eat/drink/buy?
- Is there a better price for this?
- Is this the best solution for me?
The first question is a key question for businesses who cater to tourists. Because a tourist is a customer who doesn’t know where to spend money. You need a location-based campaign that will explain to tourists why they should spend their money at your business.
Anything that makes customer reviews available to a consumer on the road will be relevant to your business.
Now consider what Nicki Hicks says about Foursquare vs. Yelp:
What Yelp has that Foursquare doesn’t
- Quick tips
- Reviews
- Reviews that will be pulled into Google Maps, and other local directories
- Add information about a business (that isn’t necessarily yours)
- Add photos for a business (that isn’t necessarily yours)
via The Differences Between Yelp and Foursquare (and Why Yelp Will Outshine Foursquare) | Maine SEO Blog.
I have to agree with her. Especially considering that Yelp has a huge database of reviews. That goes a long way toward answering my first two questions.
If Foursquare is going to stay relevant, it needs to push its tips function. It can become a micro-review site.
What does this mean for your business?
No matter what, your customers are going to have more opportunity to talk about your business in mobile platforms. You need a strategy that encourages them to say good things and publish your content.
