My recommended guidelines and etiquette for @Foursquare gameplay
As more and more of us are playing Foursquare together, I figured it's probably about time to set some guidelines for when NOT to check-in. I appreciate that Foursquare doesn't really enforce much themselves -- I can check-in to a venue in Wyoming despite being in Minnesota -- so it's up to the community to develop some guidelines. After playing for over a month, here are the guidelines I recommend based on what I see as the spirit of the game: to earn points and badges by making your physical location known at venues where friends could join you to socialize.
When you should NOT check-in
- At work: It doesn't seem quite right if an employee becomes mayor of a venue because they have to be there, as opposed to a loyal customer who comes because he wants to be there. Customers will never be able to catch up. Foursquare needs change the game so we can check-in at work and make our location known without becoming mayor or earning points for it. (This one is debatable, though, because some would argue that having an employee as mayor means that you're more available to customers. I get that for a church, but probably not for a restaurant where you want to promote customer loyalty and return business.)
- At home: The spirit of Foursquare is to check-in so friends can find you and join you on your "nights out," not your "nights in." Your house is not a venue. It also creates a LONG list of venues local people need to sort through whenever they're nearby and looking for an actual venue. But again, I know some people want to be available at their home for others to come over and socialize, so again I think Foursquare needs to make a check-in for home that doesn't award points.
- At a drive-through or gas station: If you're just quickly passing through or driving by the venue, a check-in just doesn't seem right. Maybe you need to plan on being at the venue for at least 10-15 minutes if you're going to check-in?
- At a place you visited in the past: There have been times I tried to check-in at a venue, but was unable to because Foursquare was down. That doesn't mean I can check-in at that location after I leave and the Foursquare network is live again. If you're no longer at the venue or you're on your way out the door, it's too late to check-in.
When you should check-in
- When you're out in the town at a venue where you'll be for longer than 10 minutes.
Other:
Also, use the search function to look for your venue before creating a new spot. I'm finding that many people who create spots use phones with poor GPS units, meaning the venue is created and located inaccurately and is just not showing up on your phone because of it. Search first so Foursquare doesn't end up with lots of duplicate venues, each with it's own mayor and list of tips and check-ins. Then update the venue address and location info to correct it (available only to superusers, I think).
I'm still figuring out this game and may change my mind on some of these guidelines as time progresses, but this is what I'm thinking as of today.
What do you all think? Agree? Disagree? Others to add?
11 comments
Jan 28, 2010
Shawn Michael Shoup said...
You know what else I kind of find annoying? All the Twitter and Facebook Foursquare updates. I haven't linked my accounts for this reason up to this point, but I just did to see if it gives any options for selective tweeting. Does it?
Jan 28, 2010
Tim Schmoyer said...
Yeah, you can check a box and opt for individual updates to go to Twitter or not to go to Twitter. I have mine set to only post when I unlock a badge or become mayor. Sometimes I'll send my location to Twitter as a tweet I was going to post about my location anyway.But yeah, people who post every single update, badge, and mayorship to Twitter does get old fast.
Jan 28, 2010
Shawn Michael Shoup said...
Hmmm... I suppose that's only on more advanced apps. I'm working off the BlackBerry version, which is still in development stages. Drat. I guess I'll see how it works tomorrow and go from there. Thanks.
Jan 28, 2010
Tim Schmoyer said...
You can set what does and doesn't post to Facebook and Twitter through your account on Foursquare's website, too. The only difference is I can choose to over-ride that for individual check-ins on the Droid app.
Jan 28, 2010
Shawn Michael Shoup said...
Oh, yuppers... found it. Thanks. That selective option would be nice. Hoping that gets added to the BB app soon.
Jan 29, 2010
Brian Ford said...
Personally I've gotten to the point where Foursquare is becoming just another "thing" to take up my time. I'm going to keep giving it try and feel it out more before making a decision as to whether or not to drop it. I look at it more as a way to share with my friends where and what I'm up to on any particular day. So if I'm checking into my office or even a venue I frequent I'm not looking at it as a way to gain more points, but rather to say "hey everyone this is where I'm at and what I'm doing." With that said, that's the very reason I'm considering not doing Foursquare because isn't that what I'm already doing on Twitter? Just saying...
Jan 29, 2010
awormann said...
I don't even think 4sq needs to change anything regarding home and work venues. It's meant much more for when you're out, socializing, etc. I think twitter/facebook are better suited for "i'm at work" (though even twitter discourages that). Like you said "The spirit of Foursquare is to check-in so friends can find you and join you on your "nights out," not your "nights in." I think either way, it still creates a long list when people add homes. I'd say, just keep it how it is, and use etiquette :-)
Jan 29, 2010
Tim Schmoyer said...
@Brian: I use it for that, but I also use it for the game. I like unlocking things just because I'm out around town. Although, I think the badge unlocking is going to slow down now that I got most of the basic ones, so it will probably turn into more of a friend notification thing for me, too.@awormann: I'd like to check-in at work or home so friends know they can find me there if they want, but I don't necessarily want to take mayorship and earn points for going to work, nor do I want to clutter the venues list with homes and such. So I'm not sure how to let friends know where I'm available to hang-out without compromising some of those things.
Jan 29, 2010
awormann said...
@Tim I think that we're at those places enough that people can feel free to call to get together, see if you're available, etc. I don't think that encourages as much connection and spontaneity. If you're at a coffee shop in town, or at the mall, etc., it encourages it much more, especially if someone else is already nearby. I think that's more the point.
Jan 29, 2010
Tim Schmoyer said...
@awarmann: Yeah, that's probably true.
Jan 29, 2010
Shawn Michael Shoup said...
Awww... cool. The BlackBerry app DOES include the option to selectively tweet. I unchecked / tweeked a few settings after being out and about this morning and I think I'm set now for some healthy Foursquare etiquette. ;)
