Along with Facebook, more established players like Twitter, Yelp and even Google are also adding location-based functions. The growing importance of geolocation services is well underscored by the introduction of Facebook Places. Recently introduced, it lets users of the Facebook mobile application to check into locations and share their whereabouts with colleagues, friends and business acquaintances.

The useful tips in this post are especially handy for small business owners to spread a buzz about their products and services in context of Foursquare. The Web based geolocation services can play a vital role for small businesses thanks to their features like:

1. Customer-relationship tools
2. Social networks
3. Games
4. Rewards programs
5. City guidebooks
6. Review sites
7. Business directories

They also help in presenting coupons, rewarding loyal clientele and compiling valuable data about key customers.

Claim your site

• First and foremost, it is important to claim your relevant business listing. In fact, your brand already may have a requisite listing and prospective customers may well be checking in perhaps without your knowledge.
• Check if your business is listed on a platform (in case of Foursquare, visit foursquare.com/search). If not, you may add it by visiting foursquare.com/add_venue. You may do so with the help of Foursquare app on your mobile device by checking the ‘Places’ tab and then scrolling and clicking the function ‘add this place’.
• To register, check the link on the venue page, which mentions: “Do you manage this venue? Claim here’ and simply follow the instructions. You will be required to give contact details for verification purpose. Once approved, you will be allowed to manage the site, as well as edit details, offer specials and see analytics.

Business owners can also link their respective Foursquare pages to their Facebook pages and Twitter feeds. They can add relevant buttons so visitors can mark the venue on their individual Foursquare to-do list. The platform offers for more sophisticated users an application programming interface. It lets developers build their own apps on top of the platform.

Be clear about your end goal

It is vital to have clarity about your basic goals. What is it that you want to achieve from these services?

• Are you looking to draw new customers or retain existing customers?
• Do you want to gather greater inputs about your clientele or build your own customized geolocation services, to connect them to Foursquare?
• Do you wish to establish a credible n online social network or achieve all of the goals above?

Once you are clear about your objectives, you can work out the specific functions best suited and aligned to your business. In the upcoming posts, I shall discuss more ideas to make their optimum usage.