Speculation is rife as to the future of Foursquare following the launch of Facebook Places, a location-based service allowing users to ‘check in’ to the places they visit.
Facebook Places, currently only available in the US, uses the GPS on smartphones to provide a list of locations for users to choose from and publicise their whereabouts while out on the move. They can also tag friends who are with them, as long as they have ticked the ‘check in’ application on their account.
While there has been an inevitable privacy backlash, echoing criticism from earlier this year, Facebook Places product manager Ana Yang has defended the app, claiming it makes it easier for users to take control of connections by providing options to detag locations or opt out altogether.
Foursquare currently dominates location-based services online, in terms of both users and revenue, and claims to have witnessed a dramatic surge in new signups since the launch of Facebook Places.
There are many benefits to using Foursquare at the minute, including rewards for checking in frequently with participating businesses, which Facebook have yet to develop. However, with the strength of 500 million users and a reputation for tapping into the most significant social media trends – if not determining them – there can be no doubt that Facebook is up to the task at hand.
The news that Facebook has ‘acq-hired’ Hot Potato and will integrate the staff into the FB team may provide some indication of their plans. Hot Potato, which shares characteristics with Twitter, Foursquare and Facebook Like, allows users to “socialize around activities and live events” by stating what they are doing, reading or listening to and creating lists of trends.
Whatever Facebook’s plans with Places, they will undoubtedly play a significant role in the future of social media and online marketing strategies.
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