The most interesting check-in of the summer was done by the Pew Research Center.
According to the highly-respected organization http://pewinternet.org/Reports/2011/Location.aspx, 28% of mobile owners use phones to get directions or recommendations based on their current location— 23% of all adults.
A much smaller number (5% of cell owners, equaling 4% of all adults) use their phones to check in to locations using geosocial services such as Foursquare or Gowalla. Smartphone owners are especially likely to use these services on their phones.
My take?
Despite the hype, the check-in numbers call into question the short and long-term value of Foursquare and the like.
I have the Foursquare iPhone app and twice have told myself to get committed to the activity. But there just hasn’t been enough of a pull for me either time.
As you know, I’m all for deals and believe relevant offers delivered via mobile is only going to get more important for brands.
But I’m like most who can’t – or won’t – do everything. Foursquare hasn’t made my cut.
Nor has it made the cut for most of the more than 300 million mobile users in the U.S.
