Liz Gannes at AllThingsD interviewed Foursquare CEO Dennis Crowley last week and wrote up the interview. I wasn’t in the audience but here are some of the stats he dropped during the conversation:
- Users: 8.5 million “registered users” (Q: how many are “active”?)
- Average of five to eight friends on the service
- Main demo: 24-27 years old
- SMBs: 300,000
- Developers: 10,000 developers using its API
- Employees: 56
Crowley told Gannes that he saw Foursquare as a kind of intelligent or personalized assistant. Personal assistants and recommendation engines are “the new black” in local-mobile. On the retail/brand/SMB side, Foursquare sees itself as a loyalty marketing platform.
Foursquare appears to continue to be growing despite the onset of check-in fatigue in a major way. I stopped using the app/site many months ago because of poor quality information and check-in/friend fatigue. Admittedly this was before the “3.0″ update. And I’m not in the Foursquare demo — would that I were.
By contrast I continue to use local apps like Yelp and Google Places (among others) but I almost never check in. The discussion of location in mobile has largely and myopically focused on Foursquare and check-ins; however it’s much bigger and broader than that.
Source: AT&T-Nielsen
Earlier the WSJ reported that Foursquare is seeking a new round of funding (between $20M and $40M) at a $500 million valuation.
How many of you are still using Foursquare and finding value?
April 26th, 2011 at 4:01 am
It’s useful as i have been using for more than 6mths now. I was in a restaurant when i had a guy from Polland siting in front of me. He had no clue what to eat in an Indian restaurant. tips from foursquare saved his tummy and he was happy to tell me how foursquare was an unbiased local guide for him. from business side well other than free coffee and wifi nothing is happening specifically from where i come. business is skeptic but foursquare is growing well india.
April 26th, 2011 at 4:08 am
I agree that tips and recommendations are often very helpful.
April 26th, 2011 at 4:36 am
one problem that i have witnessed often people creating venues under absurd categories. foursqaure will have to monitor that? don’t you think so.
April 27th, 2011 at 3:46 pm
I just started using Foursquare a couple of months ago because my cousin recommended it over using Facebook Places. I also wanted to try it since I’m studying Internet Marketing. He mentioned that he frequently takes advantage of the deals that come up and has gotten free appetizers and drinks out of it. I haven’t had that happen yet, mostly because I don’t remember to check-in until I’m about to leave! It is a little fun because of the point system they have and you try to “beat” your friends score, however I don’t know how long that will last.