foursquareWhat if you could get your business online and let word of mouth advertising do the rest? If your business isn’t using Foursquare, you’re missing out on a free opportunity to showcase yourself to millions of users. Think of Foursquare as a mobile local business directory complete with reviews and real-time check-ins. With mobile search leading the way for local business searches, you need a mobile presence.

Odds are, your business is already listed on Foursquare from previous customers. Setting up a local profile and maintaining it ensures all your business’s information is always up to date. With over 33 million users, this local centric social network is one you can’t afford not to make the most of.

How It Works For You
Potential customers search for local businesses using a variety of criteria. The more complete your profile, the better your chances for appearing in the search results. Previous customers leave reviews and those searching not only see those reviews, but recommendations from their friends. The final way Foursquare advertises your business is through check-ins. Visitors “check-in” to your location which is then broadcast to all their friends on a variety of social networks, including Facebook. Instant, free advertising! You can even run specials, further encouraging local traffic.

To make it an even more valuable tool, free analytics tools let you monitor all types of traffic from top visitors to check-ins to first time visits and more. This type of information is ideal for drawing in more visits to your business.

Set Up A Local Profile
Start by visiting Foursquare and signing up for an account. You can use Facebook or Google+ to sign up if you want to make the process a little faster. Next, search for your business. If you don’t find it, you’ll need to add a new listing. Now comes the most important part – fill out every single detail about your business. Add all social media links, contact details, website URL, hours of operation and any other pertinent information.

After you’ve added the profile, scroll to the bottom of the page and click Claim Here on the right of the screen. This adds you as the owner or manager of the location. If you have multiple locations or businesses, simply repeat the process. You do not need to create a new account each time.

You’ll see options for viewing analytics, adding specials and further tools once you’ve claimed your business. Take the time to brag about your Foursquare profile on all your social media pages. This will boost check-ins and of course, social word of mouth visits.