We are all aware that Geolocation is becoming big business for many mainstream businesses. If you cannot be found on Facebook Places, Foursquare or Gowalla you are behind the times. I understand Twitter is playing with the idea of utilizing their geolocation tags for business purposes. These services offer local businesses huge potential revenue streams, and the ability to offer locational discounts, vouchers and promotions by physically checking in at specific locations.

But what if you have a local business, servicing a specific location but you don’t have a physical location that clients or customers can check in at? Before you can claim a location on any of the above services, you have to specify a location, and you have to be able verify that you own that location. If you don’t have a store or an outlet people can visit, how can you utilize these services?

Unfortunately, I don’t have the answer. However, I am wondering whether there is an opportunity here to develop a new platform, or enhance the existing services that allows non-physical local businesses,  to participate in the geolocation buzz.

How can you be lonely when you have so many friends on Facebook?

Are you cursed by the social network generation of only having relationships with people you hardly know, or work colleagues that you would rather not know in person, let alone online?

Has time move on from days when groups of friends got together in person for a night out or weekend activity?

Do you feel pressured into having to join popular social networking site because your friends are there, or you need to feel part of a community because online is the only community available to you?

All these questions are faced by many lonely people, who’s only access to people or a community is only available via a social networking website. Users of social networking websites know that you do not have to publish information about yourself, or post minute by minute status updates, but are you excluded or even black-marked by people when you do not join the ‘community’?

In my opinion social networking websites are not the place for a lonely person, because it can quantify your isolation from the outside world and people in person. The news feeds or status updates are constantly updated with streams of peoples activity, opinions, and photographs. It is a continued reminder of how other people are living their lives in text and technicolor and who’s popular and who’s not. Photographs are probably the most heartfelt reminder of when you see people tagged in a photograph and you were not included.

The pressures of young people to join social networking websites is well documented. Bullying has moved from the playground to social networking websites, and is know as cyber-bullying. There has been many reported cases in the media of people being harassed which has driven a few to suicide attempts and self-harming due to the psychological damage people do to one another. Do not get me wrong, bullying is not anything new, and not limited to social networking websites by any stretch of the imagination. My point is, as with many things, and especially for young people, there are social pressures for people to join these networks whether they want to or not.

This is not just a teenager or young person problem. The Mental Health Foundation released a report that a staggering 53% of 18-34 year olds had felt depressed due to loneliness. The report did answer one fundamental question: nearly a third of young people stated they spend too much time communicating online and not enough time in person.

This article isn’t about telling you what foursquare is. If you’ve found this blog, you will probably already be an active user of foursquare. If you do need more information about foursquare, I suggest you head over to their website: http://foursquare.com.

This article is concentrates more on the practical application of this service for businesses:

1. Verify Your Location:

If your venue isn’t in the system, a user can choose to add it. Or, they can check in without adding it, which is what most of them will do — but it won’t do you any good. So, you need to make sure you’re in the system and that your info is correct.

To make sure your info is right, got to Foursquare.com and search for your business name via the box in the top-right corner of the screen.

If you are not in the system, you may add your business by going here.

If your business does appear, but the address or name is wrong, go tothis forum and post a correction. It looks rather hap-hazard, but I know it’s official because in the time I’ve been writing this, a few of the corrections that users had posted when I began writing have already been made by the folks at Foursquare.

2. Loyalty Programs:

Major players are offering the social media loyalty programs by using the application to rewards you by returning to their locations with special offers, points programs and discounts. Tasti D-Lite, a popular frozen dessert company offering trendy alternatives to traditional ice cream. The company’s roots are in New York, where they’ve managed to become a part of the city’s diction, but its cross-country and worldwide expansion efforts are heavily reliant on social media spreading the Tasti D-Lite message beyond New York City.

3. Location-Based Social Media:

Using other social media services like Twitter and Facebook will compliment you marketing strategy. Twitter has already seen the massive potential of  location-based social media and Facebook is still dragging it’s feet in this area. Foursquare has been designed specifically for location-based social media. Location-based social networks allow users to interact, share, meet up, and recommend places based on their physical coordinates. This real-world connection to social media can mean more foot traffic and profits for business owners.

4. Creating an Event:

Because Foursquare is specifically for location-based social media, this gives wonderful opportunities to take a local customer base and encourage existing or new customers to participate in your event.

You will need setup your profile that reflects the details of your event include the venue. Whilst you have the facility to create a custom badge you can also add additional benefits to your cliental that  have major status with a discount or voucher.

Not only will Foursquare users be able to check in and follow the tips surrounding your event, but they now have a community to connect with other users. Furthermore, encourage your event participants to add their own tips. Allow exhibitors to offer their own incentives for a visit to their booth. Give speakers a chance to encourage new audiences.

5. Leave Useful Tips for Users:

Business owners can provide the same type of experience for their customers. Leave a tip about the best times to come in for a quick coffee, highlight the groups that gather on certain days, reveal where to find all the best electrical outlets if someone’s coming with a laptop, etc. Anything that betters someone’s experience with your business is good for your business. I recommend that you disclose somewhere that you are leaving the tip as someone associated with the business, as not to come off as deceptive. However, if you make it an Official Tip or a Behind The Scenes Tip, it could become part of the game and increase the fun.