Social media campers on Long Island learn about Foursquare

“Foursquare -- what’s foursquare?” That was a question posed by one attendee of last week’s Social Media Camp Long Island. Here’s a primer:

--On the surface, Foursquare, an app for your mobile device, is a game that allows you to check in from just about any venue you visit -- restaurants, Long Island Railroad stations, your gym, the Arch de Triomphe in Paris. Each time you check in, you can choose to have your whereabouts broadcast to others. The more you visit a place, the more points, “badges” and “mayorships” you get, with some merchants offering discounts. 

--On a deeper level, you become an important ambassador for the brand, be it  Starbucks or a classy restaurant. So, at its root, Foursquare is a “loyalty-based program,” said George Torres, a social media/event planning consultant and presenter at Social Media Camp. 

--Yet, it can also be a significant way to connect with others who are interested in or frequent the same places. Jean Toomey, a business development director in Great Neck, told of trying for some time to coordinate a meeting with a fellow board member of a professional association. One day when she checked in on Foursquare at Penn Station, she saw that he, too had just checked in, so they grabbed a meeting then and there. It’s a resource, she said, to help you see if you’re near “someone you’re interested in bumping into.”

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