Foursquare is a popular social media platform that rewards users for "checking-in" to their favorite places. This episode of Foundation involves Foursquare founder Dennis Crowley describing the beginning stages and subsequent development of Foursquare.
Since it's inception PR has been an intricate promotional tool for many organizations. "Mayors," users who have the most check-ins at a particular establishment, are rewarded with discounts and other perks offered in token of their patronage. For a company to set-up on Foursquare they just need to register an account and promote themselves to customers in real-life.
Foursquare moves beyond traditional promotions by adding in the social aspect of allowing users to link their Facebook and Twitter pages to their Foursquare accounts, allowing their friends and followers the chance to see where they normally are. Minus the complete departure away from security for the user, the company is provided with lots of free promotion that they don't have to work towards.
Foursquare allows for the user to be in a promotional stand-point for companies without blatantly asking for promotion. The only downside to Foursquare would be the security aspect of letting the world know where you are. As of right now, that doesn't seem to be a large concern for most users, and if it stays that way, will only continue the cycle of free promotion at no cost: to the user nor the business.
Source: Foundation - Dennis Crowley
