We saw a lot of buzz in 2010 around local check-ins on location-based services like Foursquare. After all, who doesn’t want to earn a cool virtual badge, right? Or, perhaps more accurately who didn’t – when it was all shiny and new?
But, as the novelty has begun to wear off, those little badges aren’t generating the same pull they did initially. Does that mean that local check-ins are destined to disappear in 2011?
Our 2011 prediction: No, not at all. Like so many social media vehicles, the local check-ins concept will change and evolve, but it’s not going away any time soon.
Word-of-mouth marketing on steroids is too compelling and too great an opportunity for businesses to let the local check-in fade away. The value of a check-in that posts to Facebook, Twitter or other social media may be difficult to trace, but the concept that positive recommendations from a trusted friend can influence perceptions and buying habits is strong and supported by statistics. A recent study by Keller Fay revealed that 61 percent of women and 53 percent of men believe word-of-mouth they receive is credible, and 55 percent and 52 percent respectively are likely to base a purchase on that input. The key is to make the check-in valuable to those existing customers so they’ll spread the word to all those potential customers in their network via their check-ins. Creativity will be an important component to success. A static special that just sits there isn’t going to cut it in 2011.
Bonus prediction: The “local check-in” will go web-based with online e-tailers offering deals to their loyal shoppers for stopping in to browse and purchase.
This is the next logical step and we expect to see the big players like Foursquare develop online versions of their real-world check-in service to bring the idea to the forefront in the coming year.
