Geo-location check in apps like Foursquare and Gowalla have become very popular over the past few years. I was at Caroline’s Comedy Club, an underground venue in Times Square, NYC, last week, having diner with friends before the show. Our table was right near the stairs coming down from the street. On the table there was a small flyer announcing some upcoming comedians and letting you know that you can check in with Foursquare. I got out my iPhone and was happy to see I had reception and a 3G signal. However, the 3G signal was not strong enough for Foursquare to find my location. Despite my failed check in atempt, 2,207 people have checked in at Caroline’s.
Living in a big city, you would think that you would always have a strong signal. Unfortunatley, 3G and 4G signals are not always reliable. If you have a brick and mortar business or are hosting an event, indoors or out, and are asking people to check in, be sure that there is a strong signal in your area, or provide wi-fi for your customers.
Many social media services, apps and tools are free and easy to implement. That does not mean that you need to use all of them. You want to make sure that you are investing your time and energy in the right applications not only for your business but also for your customers.
Do you use check in apps? What motivates you to check in? Are you a business that uses them? How do they help your business?