Speaking about Facebook for business at PodCamp London a couple of weeks ago I rounded out my talk by explaining why I thought the social networking giant’s entry into the location game means trouble for smaller players like Foursquare and Gowalla.
With a user base exceeding 450 million I was of the impression that Facebook could really bring the appeal of LBS (location-based services) to the masses (and therefore to more marketers). Â It still might, but I’m not convinced.
Taking a closer look at why I enjoy Foursquare has caused me to change my thoughts around Facebook and LBS.
When I look at the people I’m connected with on Foursquare I see a set who are early adopters, key influencers, and ardent supports of the things they find valuable. Â To brands such as Pepsi, Ford, and General Motors this demographic has a strong appeal and offers a compelling reason to focus on niche communities as opposed to Facebook. Â Personally, I enjoy the gaming and achievement aspect of Foursquare and welcome it as a respite from legions of Farmville updates and ridiculous copy-and-paste status updates.
From a mobile perspective the lean focus of Foursquare allows me to very quickly find nearby tips without navigating through pictures, status updates, chats, wall posts, events, and groups. Â Gowalla is great for following a guided tour using nothing more than a mobile device, something that has recently been recognized and adopted by organizations such as National Geographic and The Washington Post.
I’m a firm believer in the notion that ‘riches are in niches’ and quite frankly Facebook doesn’t occupy a niche, at least not when it comes to LBS (or social networks in general for that matter).