Yesterday, as I was checking the list of approved applications on Facebook which have access to my information (this is a GREAT thing to do from time to time) I noticed something new.  Foursquare has the ability to publish check-in information to Facebook Places.  I have tested this briefly and this feature doesn’t seem to be active yet.  I also searched on Foursquare’s FAQ’s for details on how to enable it but came up empty.  I think this is a great way for Foursquare to allow their users flexibility on how they share their check-in information with their friends.

So why should you care if this happens?  I thought you’d never ask!  The way Foursquare is setup currently to use Facebook is with their own application within Facebook or the same way as Farmville and Mafia Wars.  So if you are like most people, this application is hidden from showing up in your News Feed.  What this means from an advertising and sharing standpoint is that your business is not getting the exposure it could because it isn’t displayed in everyone’s News Feed.  Once this feature is turned on it will ensure everyone sees your check-in info on Facebook as the Places feature can not be hidden.

If you are a business owner competing in the retail or restaurant industry you really should be leveraging these GeoLocation based social communities.  It is a great way to offer promotional items, get people coming back for the much coveted repeat business, and allow sharing of your brand with those users friends.

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