Early this afternoon I spent about an hour reviewing my Facebook friends list because I’ve realized that I’m really not friends with most of them.
I’m sure many of you have done the same recently, and just realize that most of the people you’re friends with, aren’t really friends. To Facebook and most social media sites, this is a huge obstacle.
The reason it’s a huge problem is because of the business model Facebook has chosen. The fact that Facebook makes most of it’s money from ads.
Ads are targeted to you based on your likes and dislikes and also what your friends like and dislike. Facebook has tied itself to the quality and size of your friend network.
What Marketers Want…
Marketers want users to have a smaller more influential friends circles. The idea of influential friends can be outlined by Dunbar’s number, a theory stating that there is a maximum number of meaningful relationships a person can maintain.
You, as a Facebook user, might have 1000 friends but your ability to convince all of your friends to do something is most likely really low. Most of your friends on Facebook don’t care what jeans you like, they probably don’t even know who you are.
How Foursquare is Changing the Game…
Now enters Foursquare. The mentality has changed here. People are much more careful who they add as a friend and the value of each connection shoot through the roof.
When a friend recommends or visits a store on Foursquare, I’m curious because I respect their insights enough to add them to my inner circle.
The chart’s axes numbers are not real, but instead are meant to illustrate a trend
Foursquare is a social media site that connects customers with potential consumers. When driving someone to perform an action – visit a store or buy a product – trust and influence is key.
The Future…
Because of the high impact each Foursquare user makes, be prepared to see it flourish for driving foot traffic and in-store sales.
If you have a physical location, working with Foursquare, being active, and rewarding mayors is definitely a strategy worth pursuing.
How are you using Foursquare? What other sites have you noticed really empower users to be influential?
