Foursquare – Useful Business Tool or Waste of Time?

According to Foursquare, their app:  

“…helps you and your friends make the most of where you are.”

If you’re a business:

“Foursquare can provide you with tools to engage with your customers and fans.”

Apparently, according to their website there are over 40 million people worldwide using the platform. But now there’s one less.

Today, I deleted my Foursquare account.

Why I deleted my Foursquare account

I signed up to the app a few years ago. It was the new kid on the block and loads of my business pals were using it, so I thought why not?

For a while it was quite fun; I’d check-in when I arrived at meetings or when I was having a coffee, reading recommendations from fellow users and gaining the occasional Mayor badge.

I can’t say it was ever useful for business, but it was a nice way to stay connected with close-by colleagues.

As time went by I began to think ‘what’s the point’ and used the app less and less.

But then this morning I received an email that made my mind up once and for all – it was time to say farewell to Foursquare.

As you know, when you visit a location you can check in earning yourself various badges as you do so. They don’t mean anything earth shattering, they aren’t going to make you famous and they most certainly aren’t going to make you rich. Yet, it would appear there are people out there who are dead set on gathering as many Mayor-ships as they can, regardless of whether they’ve been to the locations or not.

Surely not! I hear you cry.

Well, today’s email is evidence of that practice.

I would post an image of it here, but I’m not into naming and shaming. It announced that I’d been ousted as Mayor of Briar Copywriting.

Sour grapes on my part? Nope, and this is why.

1. Briar Copywriting is my business and office
2. I work alone and meet clients at their premises
3. It is my home office
4. I’m the only one who works there
5. The guy who ousted me as Mayor isn’t even a friend on Foursquare
6. He’s never even been to the office
7. I have no idea who he is!

So, bearing all that in mind, this is a guy who sits at his desk (on his sofa, or wherever) claiming to be visiting places me most clearly is not.

Why?

How sad is that?

Why would you claim to be going somewhere that you’ve never visited before? Just so you can gain a worthless, virtual Mayor-ship?

For me, this just illustrates the pointlessness of Foursquare.

Tell me about your experience

What’s your experience been like?

Have you found it useful?

I’d really love to hear from you if you have.

Leave a comment, good or bad, about your feelings for this platform.

If you were connected to me on Foursquare, apologies for my abrupt departure, but now you know why.

 Image Courtesy of Stuart Miles/FreeDigitalPhotos