SXSW Interactive included five days of compelling presentations from the brightest minds in the digital industry. As Dennis Crowley, CEO & Co-founder of Foursquare stated, “SXSW is where you go to experience the future for a couple days and then go home to live in the present.”
Dennis spoke about the future of Foursquare and their shift from a gamification perception to mapping and location-based services. “The most exciting thing we’re doing is everything around data and maps. We can do stuff no one else can with 3 billion check-in points.” With that much data and location power, the future of Foursquare is very bright.
Every map we look at today, regardless of the device or application has a similar view and functionality. From the earlier days of MapQuest, things may have become more “slick” but not more personal. Dennis Crowley see’s past the current maps and into a new dimension, one that brings even more social and customization than we can imagine.
As marketers or business owners, Foursquare may not be a key element in your digital marketing plan now, but it may be something to watch for in the next couple of years. Be prepared and start thinking – How would customized maps change the way you market?
