Resilient Ambassadors of Change trend-tracking. idea-generation. progress.

Will Foursquare incentivize life?

I joined Foursquare today.  I am officially a newbie!

Why did it take me so long?  Aside from a hectic schedule and generally being overwhelmed by information, I quite frankly didn't want folks to know my whereabouts at that level of detail.  The gaming aspect alone was not enough to draw me - I could care less about earning points by checking in to cool placees, and becoming a mayor.  For me, the tipping point was  internally motivated; I thought, "Where might this go in the future?" and suddenly my brain imploded.  I did a bit of research.

At its heart, Foursquare is basically a framework for incentivizing human behavior, using certain gaming principles.  Users "check in" to locations and earn points and badges, and share information about locations with other Foursquare "friends". Right now, the incentives are basically popularity/social networking and competition.  This is usual with these sorts of Web 2.0 start-ups, and for some people, that's enough of a draw.  However, with additional financial incentives (e.g., check in here for 10% off this doohicky), Foursquare could change the world by better attracting a huge user population: consumers.  It's already happening.  For example, Starbucks created its own Foursquare badge in May to try to appeal to its more loyal customers, and of course Foursquare has plans to broaden its appeal (and financial incentives are a biggie.)

So in the immediate future, sure, folks might start using Foursquare to get a deal here and there - but what might come next?  This is where my brain liquifies - not in a bad way. Imagine all the incentives and services that can be provided to humans that are geo-trackable, tagged with information (some profile-based, some near-real-time), plugged-in and engaged.   This is an advertiser's dream.  However, if the API remains open and the community can keep developing apps (i.e. purposes), the appeal will reach far beyond advertisers.  Users themselves will create uses, demand functionalities, and dream up new and interesting ways of overlapping the virtual and physical worlds.  You could do a voice search for the nearest person certified in CPR to help you with chest compressions (maybe they'll have a CPR badge?) You can find a Boy Scout to walk you across the street.  You can find a random person nearby who also happens to be craving avocado icecream.  You and everyone else in a given restaurant can complain together about the loud dude in the corner - God he's annoying, and look at all the bars he checked in to before coming here.  Wait - is that the mayor?

I'm being silly, but hopefully you get the idea.