Mario Armstrong on Location-Based Programs

www.marioarmstrong.com

This week, Mario Armstrong spoke to CNN about location-based programs such as Foursquare, Gowalla, and Loopt, which we have recently been discussing.  View it here.


Social Media and the Pea by Alice Ann Williams is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-No Derivative Works 3.0 United States License.
Based on a work at www.socialmediaandthepea.blogspot.com.
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So Why Foursquare and Gowalla?

The question was posed to me this week, "Why do you use Foursquare and Gowalla? Is there a benefit?"  


Answering honestly, I replied, "I originally thought it would be a friend/social networking tool."  The concept of seeing where my friends are, what they are up to, what they think of various places, etc. is another way to connect and share interests.  

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After giving it additional thought, I realized, "However, I use both Foursquare and Gowalla more for the tips and feedback.  I have more of a relationship with a couple of businesses now because they were interested in knowing whom was taking the time to participate."  Businesses are using these applications to learn about their customer base:  why do people go there initially, and what keeps them coming back.  And then some go the step farther to use the apps to learn more about their customers as people and to reward them for their loyalty.  


If the old business philosophy of "it takes three new clients to compensate for the cost of losing one current customer", then establishing and maintaining brand loyalty is not only a benefit to the organization and the customer both - it is a necessary symbiotic pairing.  The customer needs to feel appreciated, and, especially in today's economy, the organization needs the customer to return again and again.


So the benefit is networking and knowledge. I participate as a consumer because it identifies me as a loyalist and gives insight to my true likes without having to wear a badge or t-shirt advertising my favorite places, and my hang-outs don't have to hope against hope that I'll fill out a comment card on my way out the door.


Social Media and the Pea by Alice Ann Williams is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-No Derivative Works 3.0 United States License.
Based on a work at www.socialmediaandthepea.blogspot.com.
Permissions beyond the scope of this license may be available at http://www.socialmediaandthepea.blogspot.com/.

Oh Golly: Gowalla

In my expressing of my love for the social application Foursquare, I have been told I am missing out on the social impact of Foursquare's closest competitor, Gowalla.  A GPS-based locator program as well- this time straight from the promised land of Texas - Gowalla, allows friends to connect and share information about spots and locations all over the nation in exchange for game pieces and honors.

After starting to play the Gowalla game, it seems the main focus of Gowalla is just that - to act as a game bringing friends together for the purposes of true socialization at hotspots and establishments.  Additionally, unlike the more self rewarding Foursquare, Gowalla is a game of give and take where players can leave game pieces at locations for others to pick up and add to their stash (although, it seems the most coveted of the pieces are rarely left behind).

In the news last week, Gowalla announced a partnership with the New Jersey Nets:  those checking in at the Bobcats' game on April 12th and who find the mystery Nets game piece/item are eligible to win pairs of Nets tickets - a game within a game which has true fans raving online.  Additionally, Gowalla has also participated in fundraisers such as "Check In For Haiti", again showing they are more than just a social media site for social gamers but are wanting to be part of the give and take of real life.

Further proving I need to spend more time developing my relationship with Gowalla is their "best site in the Mobile category" SXSW Web Award from March.  So as I go through my days this upcoming week, I will be "Gowalla"ing to see what else I've been missing out on. 

"The stars at night are big and bright, deep in the heart of Texas":  let's see if Gowalla really does bring that same Texas' style oomph to the table both here, there, and everywhere.

Social Media and the Pea by Alice Ann Williams is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-No Derivative Works 3.0 United States License.
Based on a work at www.socialmediaandthepea.blogspot.com.
Permissions beyond the scope of this license may be available at http://www.socialmediaandthepea.blogspot.com/.