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Facebook Places or Foursquare?

By
Education & Training with Tech and Social Media Consultant

Even with the announcement of Facebook Places I’m still quite fond of Foursquare.  It’s not being the mayor, it’s not the badges, it’s the way I can connect with peeps on a different level.  That said, one of the cool things I like about the network is the way they catalogue your accomplishments.

mikeonfoursquare

As of August 21, 2010 I have 117 nights out, 384 checkins, and 1,081 friends.  I’m a relative newbie.  I have claimed my business “Custom Facebook Business Pages” and regularly add tips to the locations I visit.  I tend to hold Mayorship at 10 or so places at any given time.  That honorary title comes and goes.  What doesn’t is the badges.   Once you have unlocked a badge, it’s yours forever.  I currently have 18 badges.

The following is meant more as a marker of sorts.  Here’s a run down of each of the badges I have so far.  The first part is their badge description.

 Newbie Congrats on your first check-in!  Unlocked by Mike M. on Fri Nov 13, 2009 at 9:20 PM @ Diablo Valley College in Pleasant Hill.  While waiting for my daughter at a football game I decided to kill some time, created my account, checked in and then promptly forgot about the network.

 School Night Checking-in after 3am on a school night? Well done!  Unlocked by Mike M. on Mon Mar 29, 2010 at 5:48 AM @ Oakland Tribune News – Oakland Airport in Oakland.  Once again boredom strikes.  While waiting to fly out to a speaking engagement I refind the app in my Blackberry.

 Adventurer You’ve checked into 10 different venues!  Unlocked by Mike M.on Tue Mar 30, 2010 at 5:13 PM @ House Of Big Fish & Ice Cold Beer Tweetup in Laguna Beach at one of Jim Marks favorite locations.  Phenomenal food, great people and great conversations!

 Photogenic You found 3 places with a photobooth!  Unlocked by Mike M. on Mon Apr 5, 2010 at 8:13 PM @ Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk – Neptune’s Kingdomin Santa Cruz.  If this was the 3rd, I have no idea where the other two were.

 Explorer You’ve checked into 25 different venues!  Unlocked by Mike M. on Tue Apr 6, 2010 at 11:35 AM @ Zen Trading in Santa Cruz.  Spring Break Vacation.

 Super User That’s 30 checkins in a month for you!   Unlocked by Mike M. on Tue Apr 6, 2010 at 11:42 AM @ Billabong in Santa Cruz.  Still on vacation, lots of time to relax and better discover what the application can do.

 Superstar You’ve checked into 50 different venues!  Unlocked by Mike M. on Sat Apr 10, 2010 at 10:31 AM @ Millie’s Kitchen in Lafayette.  Flying back in from REBarcamp in Phoenix it was a relaxing stop in one of our favorite breakfast places.

 Bender That’s 4+ nights in a row for you!  Unlocked by Mike M. on Sat Apr 10, 2010 at 10:19 PM @ Panda Express in Pleasant Hill.  Might have been 4 nights in a row but I’ll bet there wasn’t much in the way of drinking.

 Local You’ve been at the same place 3x in one week!  Unlocked by Mike M.on Sat Apr 17, 2010 at 10:39 AM @ Costco in Concord.  Sometimes I swear I’m at Costco on a daily basis.  No surprise.  Do they have a Super Local?  I should have that one too!

 Swarm 50+ people are also checked-in here – it’s a foursquare flashmob!  Unlocked by Mike M. on Thu Apr 22, 2010 at 7:54 PM @ HP Pavilion at San Jose in San Jose.  This was Game 5 of the Stanley Cup Playoffs.  Proud to be one of the swarm.

 Crunked That’s 4+ stops in one night for you!  Unlocked by Mike M. on Thu Apr 22, 2010 at 11:00 PM @ McDonald’s in Fremont.  This one sounds like there was copious amounts of alcohol involved.  Not this time, we were on the way home from the Sharks Game and stopped for a soda.

 Super Mayor A special shoutout for holding down 10 mayorships at once!  Unlocked by Mike M. on Mon May 17, 2010 at 2:28 PM @ Costco in Concord.  Coscto strikes again!

 Bravo Newbie Congratulations! You’ve taken your first step into the BRAVO world. (It’s not as scary as it sounds!)  Unlocked by Mike M. on Tue Jun 8, 2010 at 12:42 PM @ L Wine Lounge & Urban Kitchen in Sacramento.  REBarCamp in Sacramento was held in a wine bar.  I believe they were part of the Bravo Network – hence this badge.  The next one?  I have no idea!

 Real Housewife Way to drink, eat, shop, and spa like a Real Housewife!  Unlocked by Mike M. on Tue Jun 8, 2010 at 12:42 PM @ L Wine Lounge & Urban Kitchen in Sacramento.  Same place.  Same event.  I can honestly say I have never watch a single episode of Real Housewives of Anything.  I’ll up that by one and say I’ve never watched anything that starts with the word Real.  Does that mean they are taking my badge away?

 I’m on a boat! ? This ain’t Seaworld, this is as real as it gets / I’m on a boat, MF’er, don’t you ever forget! ?  Unlocked by Mike M. on Fri Jun 25, 2010 at 7:18 PM @ Sausalito Ferry Landing in Sausalito.  Our Anniversary Dinner – Ferry from San Francisco to Sausalito to a great restaurant.  Beautiful night and way to remember it with a badge!

 Overshare 10+ checkins in 12 hours! Next up: tweeting that you unlocked this Overshare badge?  Unlocked by Mike M. on Sat Jul 3, 2010 at 9:18 PM @Century Theatres in Walnut Creek.  Time off seems to equal more checkins.  Didn’t realize I checked in this much today but they did.

 Barista Congrats – you’ve checked in at 5 different Starbucks! Be sure to pick up a double tall latte for your friend – I’m sure they’d do the same for you.  Quite by accident as I don’t really frequent Starbucks much – it was due to the new way we tend to meet clients these days in person (at a coffee house)

 Player Please! Look at you, checking-in with 3 members of the opposite sex! Player, please!  Ummm, not really.  Actually – this was earned by checking in to the Hilton San Francisco and not for a room but for a conference – Inman Connect.  Given that, shouldn’t it have been a Super Swarm Badge?  Just sayin

So that’s the badges I hold.  They are public record, out in the open for all to see.  Out of the bunch I have to say Real Housewife has to be the strangest.

What do you like better Facebook's Places or Foursquare?

Comments (7)

James Lowenstern
Castles Unlimited® - Newton, MA
Castles Unlimited. Newton MA Real Estate

I'll look at it...I have too much free time apparently.

Aug 22, 2010 06:35 AM
Lacey Lingenfelter
The Preview Group - Everett, WA

Great article and thanks for sharing the information.  If you ever want to exchange links or have access to a Real Estate Seattle licensed agent, I'd love to work with you. 

Aug 22, 2010 06:49 AM
Mike Klijanowicz
Cummings & Co. Realtors - Perry Hall, MD
Associate Broker @ Cummings & Co. Realtors

I'll have to check that one out!

Aug 22, 2010 07:59 AM
Lane Bailey
Century 21 Results Realty - Suwanee, GA
Realtor & Car Guy

Foursquare crashes my Blackberry...  Haven't tried Places yet on the BB... I don't know if it can yet.  But, I am looking at a HSPA+ Android from T-Mo next month...

Aug 22, 2010 02:35 PM
Mike Mueller
Tech and Social Media Consultant - Walnut Creek, CA

Lane - That's right, we're both BB T-Mobile users.  8320 curve and foursquare works great.  I'm waiting for TM to get a phone like the EVO.  I want a MiFi capable phone. 

Aug 22, 2010 04:24 PM
Jeanean Gendron
The Address Realty - Redding, CA
Specializing in Selling Unique Properties

Mike, Good Lord....glad to know others are on T-Mobile. I have the Blackberry Curve 8900? Will it do Foursquare? I'll have to check it out....Foursquare in Shasta County should be interesting. One more thing for me to get squared away.....saw how it was being used on a Webinar recently by a Realtor in San Diego. Sounds pretty fun! I'll give it a try. Thanks Mike! Life is good for you....that's nice to see!

Aug 22, 2010 11:33 PM
Sally K. & David L. Hanson
EXP Realty 414-525-0563 - Brookfield, WI
WI Real Estate Agents - Luxury - Divorce

 I have not been on/done foursquare yet...sounds like fun...and another addiction....yicks !

Aug 22, 2010 11:44 PM