Foursquare Attempting to Reinvent Itself

Local online directories used to be a dime a dozen as many were limited in their functionality. Now, as more mobile Apps continue to dominate more everyday local searches, Foursquare is attempting to set a trend for the future. It is not the same old Foursquare anymore reports our law firm article writers.

The mobile App Foursquare has recently undergone some changes and looks to be trying to reinvent itself with its mid summer re-launch. Those who are familiar with the old Foursquare should leave those memories in the past as everything has changed. Check-ins are now devoted to a whole new Foursquare App called Swarm.  The new Foursquare App is intended to feature local destinations while Swarm is intended to be more of a social network.

There is a whole new look to Foursquare and that includes the following changes:

  • New color scheme (pink and blue)
  • New Flagpole
  • New navigation bar with four options (Profile, Find a Place, Here, Tips)

As previously stated, perhaps the most noticeable difference with the new Foursquare App is the absence of the check-in feature. In this new version, Foursquare has completely removed location sharing. The intention is to differentiate itself from being just another social network.

Businesses who are not familiar with Foursquare may see it as just another run-of-the-mill directory listing. But it is much more than that.

Foursquare is a social network that is based on location. The previous version of Foursquare enabled users to open the App, check in and let others know where they are. It eventually allowed users to make recommendations about local destinations. But there was not a clear and concise distinction between those two functions. Was it just a social network or was it a place to learn about local businesses?

The latest move by the company intends to answer that question. Swarm will provide social butterflies with a place they can flock, check in and see who is doing what.

People looking for local businesses can utilize the new Foursquare App as it now focuses on solely directing people to local businesses. The popular Yelp directory looks as though it may be starting to grow a little outdated. Nevertheless, Yelp still has a very recognizable name.

The success of the new Foursquare App could signify the demise of Yelp, one of its main rivals. With that thought in mind, local businesses should get more familiar with Foursquare and learn to use it to their advantage. Older directory listings such as Merchant Circle, Yahoo Local and other directories do not have the extensive capabilities of Foursquare.

But taking over other local directories is not automatic. There is much to do in such a transitional time for Foursquare. One of the hurdles for Foursquare in the coming months is educating the public on what differentiates its new App from Swarm. Those differences are not common knowledge while a name like Yelp is still more recognizable to the masses. However, people are exploring new ways to find businesses. Foursquare could indeed establish itself as cutting edge which makes it very enticing for businesses to get involved right away. But throughout this launch period, there is an obvious need to educate the public.

More and more local searches are coming from Apps like Foursquare as opposed to traditional search engines. The future could be heading in a direction where local searches automatically revert to this method. It would be kind of difficult to imagine a world where search engines like Google do not provide answers to everything. If Foursquare has anything to say about it, that will indeed be the case. But how it markets itself and educates the masses in the coming months could wind up be the determining factor of how far Foursquare can go.

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Foursquare Attempting to Reinvent Itself
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Our law firm article writer discusses how Foursquare is attempting to reinvent itself to regain it's former glory as a social media powerhouse.
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