Foursquare launches Personalised Search in the world
Foursquare is becoming an increasingly popular application. The whole idea of location-based social networking is really exciting in itself. One reason for the growing popularity of Foursquare is the increasing popularity of smartphones and the fact that Foursquare is much better than its SMS-based predecessor, Dodge Ball. Right since its launch, Foursquare has been launching new services for its users, and it will increase the count by one when it launches its new service, which it labels 'personalised search for the real world.'. Practically, it means that the Foursquare website has received a new addition, the explore feature. The feature has been on the mobile client for quite some time now, but it has recently come up on the website too. This will now allow users to get better keyword searches and several new filters that would allow users to funnel search results and choose the ones that suit them most. With this addition, Foursquare has now become a local search engine. The Explore tab is available at the top right of the website, and just in case you forget to notice it, Foursquare will show it to you. The feature will now allow users to search for business names and categories. The fact that Foursquare is becoming such a popular application and that it has enhanced search features will now be given importance when companies redesign their digital marketing strategies to integrate them with Foursquare. Here is how this feature works. You type in a search term, say 'nachos in New York' and in front of you will pop a list that displays results of all places for 'Nachos in New York' that users on Foursquare have talked about. You will further be able to drill these results based on four filters, places where you have been till now, places you haven't been to before, places where your friends have been, and Foursquare specials. The filters can be of very high value, especially as everyone looks for references for a place before trying them out, and the filters give ready references. Foursquare may also add a few other filters as time passes to provide users with better services. The new features have opened up new avenues of SMO for companies. Foursquare's new search feature shines when users type in highly specific queries. The 'Tips' content is now searchable, while specific or obscure information can be discovered in the results. The filters also throw challenges as companies now look to redesign their online marketing strategies. Foursquare offers practical incentives to users for participating in the application and giving feedback. Foursquare does so with the help of badges. Over time, Foursquare has made itself a mainstream app with much-enhanced search features, and now the local search utility has given the companies one more reason to take Foursquare a little more seriously. It would be nice to see how companies or websites react to the new and also future changes that Foursquare may introduce.