Facebook Places vs. Foursquare (On a Boat)

Ideas, Inspiration and a Creative Perspective on Marketing from Inside the Embassy

August 26, 2010

Facebook Places vs. Foursquare (On a Boat)

BY Lisa Keller Category Digital, Inspiration

In the ongoing war of location based iPhone apps, we now have a new contender: Facebook Places. Will the 300 lb. gorilla that is Facebook smash the leading competition– the tiny, but mighty foursquare? The Loud Few heads to the Boat House of Forest Park in St. Louis to unlock the coveted I’m On a Boat Badge and debate the two options.

Check out the video above for our badge unlocking and the video below for our location-based app debate (on boats).

So, to recap, here are some key comparison notes in the battle to become location-based app King:

Facebook Places

PROS:

500 million Facebook users.
Businesses will have check-in information displayed on their Page once they are merged.
Facebook users are very active and are likely to adopt this new change quickly.

CONS:

Audience misunderstanding of proper location-based app use (a lot of users are checking into their homes, which could be a safety issue. e.g. PleaseRobMe.com.)
Claiming your Facebook Place is complicated for businesses (they have to submit multiple articles of organization currently.)
Facebook will upset users with poorly planned privacy issues again (you can check in other friends on Facebook Places without their approval, unless you opt-out of this feature in the privacy settings.)
Facebook is only available via their iPhone app currently (to both check-in and create a Place.)
Facebook has not released any info on how to merge your Facebook Page and Facebook Place.
Facebook Places has no gaming element, no reward or check-in specials available currently.

foursquare

PROS:

Foursquare is considered the “cool kid” on the location-based app block.
Businesses can easily provide specials to foursquare users.
Foursquare has an addictive gaming element, where you can earn badges and compete against friends.
Foursquare users can already push their check-ins to Facebook, so what is the incentive to check in on both platforms?
There are already a lot of businesses easily found on foursquare, but not very many on Facebook Places.
Foursquare allows users to leave tips and To-Do’s specific to that business.
Claiming your business on foursquare is easier to do than the current verfication process for Facebook Places.
Foursquare has free and useful analytics available to business owners about key metrics.

CONS:

Foursquare has less users than Facebook, and even fewer outside of the tech world.
Foursquare is only a location-based app, and not a multi-purpose social network like Facebook; users may gravitate to a platform that provides richer social connections.
Current users of foursquare may drop it to consolidate their social media platform use.

Those are just a few of our thoughts, but we would love to hear what you think. Will you use Facebook Places? Do you use Foursquare? Will you favor either one? As a business, which platform do you see as most valuable?

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About the Author

Lisa Keller is the Marketing Project Manager at The Loud Few and specializes in online marketing strategy and management. You can learn more about L3J here or follow Lisa on Twitter.

Tags: Facebook Places, Foursquare, iPhone app, location-based app, Social Media

Comments »

8 comments on Facebook Places vs. Foursquare (On a Boat)

Michael Buffa says:

I’m back due to another great topic/post. Cool video blogs btw (don’t know if I’m ready to use the term “vlog”). So inevitably, I believe Facebook will take over within the next few years, but the launch is way less impressive than I expected. Foursquare allows you to see nearby tweets (which I find to be a pretty impressive feature). It also lets you send through to Facebook, which eliminates the need for Places all together.

Regardless of the differences, I think one thing remains the same: there needs to be incentive. A tweet came through as I’m posting this comment from @eammon that states, ” @steinburglar I’ve retired from foursquare – benefits don’t measure up to the commitment. ” That’s how I feel with both Foursquare and Places. Give me a reason to check in (other than a Boat Badge) (although that’s really cool).

Anyway Keep up the good work

http://twitter.com/mbuffa

August 26, 2010 @ 12:05 pm

Erin Steinbruegge says:

Thanks for the comments @mbuffa and @eammon. The incentive (or lack thereof) is a good argument. I definitely find some badges more rewarding than others. It’s the few obscure gems I find that keep me interested, and of course, the specials offered by foursquare savvy bars and restaurants. I really enjoy checking in just to see which businesses are on their foursquare game – some of them make me laugh, such as “The Men’s Room at Infuz.” (No, I have not checked in there). I agree that virtual badges can’t keep everyone interested and motivated, but I think that’s just the base layer of what is to come. I think location based apps such as foursquare will eventually develop into a richer means of interacting with those who are around you, not just simply announcing your location. At that point, the reward goes beyond badges, and I think these apps will hit the mainstream.

August 26, 2010 @ 1:39 pm

Norman says:

Great topic! I prefer and will probably stick with foresquare. For me foresquare is a real-time planner.. I can tell whats going on around me and make decisions based on specials and where friends are at the moment. The badges are cool, but that’s a small part of the appeal. I have a hard time trusting anything from facebook, although I’m sure they will work out the kinks with places and try to swallow foursquare. Until that happens, I’m staying with foursquare. Oh and P.S. I’m on a boat!

August 26, 2010 @ 2:20 pm

Mark H says:

I checked in @The St. Louis Galleria last weekend via foursquare and had a discount offer appear for American Eagle. Not that I shop there, but it was cool to see them utilizing the medium…

August 26, 2010 @ 2:42 pm

Norman says:

Great topic! I prefer and will probably stick with foursquare. For me foursquare is a real-time planner.. I can tell whats going on around me and make decisions based on specials and where friends are at the moment. The badges are cool, but that’s a small part of the appeal. I have a hard time trusting anything from facebook, although I’m sure they will work out the kinks with places and try to swallow foursquare. Until that happens, I’m staying with foursquare. Oh and P.S. I’m on a boat!

August 26, 2010 @ 2:44 pm

Erin Eschen says:

Great debate, and I like the recap on the site. I agree with Aaron S that Facebook Places just launched a week ago. They need early market entry to rack up the number of users, but I won’t be surprised when they launch incentives like badges, points, — you name it. The Groupon element of monetizing check-ins or location based participation is an element Facebook can’t (and I imagine won’t) ignore either. That should give Mr. Buffa a benefit that outweighs the hassle of opening up the app and checking in.

I’m a big fan of any place that provides discounts on 4Square to those who check in or to the mayors, etc….and I don’t see a way for Facebook Places to do that — yet.
Merchants haven’t embraced even FourSquare well enough (or in mass enough quantities) yet to make it really worth my while. I mostly just use FourSquare to keep people posted on where I’m traveling to and what I’m doing — i.e. the added value of being able to push my FourSquare check-ins to Twitter & Facebook.

For now, it’s easier for me to keep using FourSquare since I’ve built up a log on it – as well as points and badges, etc. I looked at Facebook Places and used it a few times this week, but got bored with it. I’ll check it out again from time to time or when they add new features.

August 26, 2010 @ 3:37 pm

@stiggs says:

In the great water boat battle, I’d have to go with foursquare. i hope that one day they send you a real badge in the mail though, and not just virtual badges.

August 29, 2010 @ 9:38 pm

David Leibowitz says:

The incentive isn’t coupons or deals, you’re right..that’s not good enought – it’s the potential tagging and personalization. Yes, I said tagging. Wrote about it here: