Why are people sharing their location? What motivates customers to “check-in” and share their whereabouts with the world? Here is an abridged version of a framework I presented in previous articles that will help you understand best practices in location-based marketing.
The “7 F’s of Check-ins” Framework
The most important drive for check-in, the main F, is FIND. Under FIND, we can distinguish the 7 F’s of checking in.
- Fun: Many check-in based social networks are games. People participate for the fun of it. The dynamic of the game is based on receiving virtual or material rewards.
- Fame: While this might be a subcategory of the previous F, people check-in and compete to achieve virtual status, badges, stickers, pins and other items so they can brag about and show them to their friends.
- Friends: Making and meeting friends is another significant category. When people check-in, most applications allow the person and their friends to see who is around. The idea is to facilitate face-to-face encounters (and maybe filter people you don’t want to meet).
- Flirt: While this might be a subcategory of the previous F, people check-in to interact with other people they don’t necessarily know. Some applications allow communication between users, giving them the option to virtually flirt with people around them.
- Fancying: People like to recommend places they like, promoting and creating a good opinion about it.
- Following: People use check-in based applications to keep track of places they visited, in the form of a personal diary. This category includes following yourself (looking at your traveling history) and following others.
- Freebies: If you are not into games, or your friends do not necessarily use that app, the reason that will keep you checking in is the FREEBIES. This is finally the ultimate reason why users will keep coming back — to receive new offers, discounts, coupons, and free stuff.
[message type="success"]As we’ll see in coming articles, this framework allows marketers to use check-in app functionality efficiently, as it help us devise appropriate tactics that address each one of these customer motivators. Keep reading: Foursquare – A marketer’s perspective and best practices. [/message]
August 3, 2011 - 5:06 pm
[...] do our customers use foursquare? What is their motivation? See how foursquare fits “The 7 F’s of Check-ins” framework, and understand some best practices of foursquare for marketing [...]
August 4, 2011 - 2:26 pm
I read all 3 blogs and truly enjoyed seeing the break down on LBS. You did an extremely great job. I am in the process of focusing on LBS 90% for my business. It is so much fun teaching business owners how LBS works. When they get it they get it. Thank you and
August 8, 2011 - 7:17 am
[...] my previous article we analyzed how Foursquare fits into the 7 F’s of check-ins framework and proposed the first group of best practices. Here is the second [...]
May 9, 2012 - 12:16 pm
[...] Claudio Schapsis asks two questions you too may have wondered about: “Why are people sharing their location?” and “What motivates customers to ‘check in’ and share their whereabouts with the world?” [...]
May 9, 2012 - 4:15 pm
[...] Claudio Schapsis asks two questions you too may have wondered about: “Why are people sharing their location?” and “What motivates customers to ‘check in’ and share their whereabouts with the world?” [...]
May 9, 2012 - 8:29 pm
[...] Claudio Schapsis asks two questions you too may have wondered about: “Why are people sharing their location?” and “What motivates customers to ‘check in’ and share their whereabouts with the world?” [...]
May 10, 2012 - 2:24 am
[...] Claudio Schapsis asks two questions you too may have wondered about: “Why are people sharing their location?” and “What motivates customers to ‘check in’ and share their whereabouts with the world?” [...]
May 10, 2012 - 2:29 pm
[...] Claudio Schapsis asks two questions you too may have wondered about: “Why are people sharing their location?” and “What motivates customers to ‘check in’ and share their whereabouts with the world?” [...]
May 11, 2012 - 11:57 am
[...] Claudio Schapsis asks two questions you too may have wondered about: “Why are people sharing their location?” and “What motivates customers to ‘check in’ and share their whereabouts with the world?” [...]
May 28, 2012 - 9:20 am
[...] Claudio Schapsis asks two questions you too may have wondered about: “Why are people sharing their location?” and “What motivates customers to ‘check in’ and share their whereabouts with the world?” [...]
June 2, 2012 - 12:00 am
[...] Claudio Schapsis asks two questions you too may have wondered about: “Why are people sharing their location?” and “What motivates customers to ‘check in’ and share their whereabouts with the world?” [...]
July 12, 2012 - 10:16 pm
[...] Remember the 7 F’s (fun, fame, friends, flirt, fancying, following & freebies) when trying to improve engagement [...]