Location based social networks are the ones which let your network contacts know about your location when you check in them through your GPS-enabled mobile phone. Some of the location-based networks are Foursquare, whrrl, Gowalla, Yelp, and Twitter places to name a few. It does sound disturbing to tell your contacts about ‘everything you do’ or ‘about the places you go’. But you will get surprised at knowing that these social networks are also great tools for your business growth. They provide your business good promotion helping you to endorse your brand to many contacts, existing and potential clients, and at large to the world web.
How to use them for your business?
Let us see some of the ways to use these smart social networks for the benefit of your business.
- Create a Profile:
If you are running a business with a physical location to it, create a profile with any of these social networks with your GPS enabled Smartphone and start exploring about the whole methodology behind location based networking. You will be able to collect important data from these networks. Once you are in, you can monitor and engage your clients by responding to their queries or giving them suggestions etc.
- Sync your profile with Facebook and Twitter:
The good thing about location based networks is that you can sync them with your Facebook and Twitter account. So even if some of your clients do not have any location based social network accounts, they will also get intimated about present location.
- Incentives:
This is a great way to promote your brand where you can give your customers free coupons, special deals, discounts paving them to check in your profile. The client checking in your profile first or maximum number of times can be rewarded making other clients to compete against each other. A cool fun way to get them engaged, isn’t it? You can also give limited time offers or set reminders on your site to allow your customers follow your brand closely.
- Check-in Daily:
Make it a habit to check in daily and post regularly to create more updates, interact with clients and help them with more tips. It pays you with more publicity and promotion. You will also be able to find new clients too!
If you have suggestions/questions and advice to help other readers, please add them to the comments section.