4SqINDY

#4SqDay2013 was a blast!

Eric Thomas — Tue, 30 Apr 2013 13:52:24 +0000

Check the video by our friends at DoItIndy!

Our friends from Columbus, Victoria & William, made the trip again. DJ AllReady was spinning the vinyl. There were a ton of giveaways and we even played some Foursquare!

14 ProTips To Maximize Your Foursquare Experience

Hust0058 — Tue, 28 Feb 2012 22:40:24 +0000

Since you’re reading this you are probably a fan of foursquare. How can you maximize your experience to make the most out of this geo-social application? That’s what we asked the participants on #4SqChat to share on Monday night.

Here are 14 ProTips that will make foursquare more fun:

If you find a foursquare tip you like, Mark it as done. The best tips (most done) rise to the top!
Good tips at Airports & Stadiums are likely be marked done much more than any other venue.
Share your good tips on other social networks when you create them.
Add a comment or question when checking in at a venue to get more engagement from friends!
Engage with others – comment on check-ins! (Easy to do from the web on foursquare.com)
Post photos with your check-ins to encourage conversation!
Notice when a friend checks in nearby
Out with a group? Be the first check in and get tagged every time they tweet their check-in OR be the last to at mention them.
Create a list of venues to curate the foursquare experience
Use the Explore feature to find venues you’ve never checked into before.
Follow brand pages to get those sponsored badges.
Business owners – claim your venues. Great data provided in foursquare’s insights
Be careful who you friend. Please don’t send out requests to everyone you follow on Twitter.
Get the latest foursquare knowledge: foursquare’s blog, aboutfoursquare.com, 4sqDay.com and here!

What are some of your favorite ProTips for using foursquare?

PS – Thanks to these people for the great ideas listed above!

@aboutfoursquare @4sqINDY @airthom @dwaynekilbourne @eric_andersen @colinbrauns @EMcCutchan @akaCarioca @RobinsonAndy @hust0058 @TBlessedStanley @TSBandito @UZMPhantom @MayhemStudios @superben @VouxCroux @Stevious @_MadGasser @McGarty15 @adivari@ntalukdar3 @Plattonian

Indy’s Super Bowl Is All Over Foursquare

Hust0058 — Fri, 03 Feb 2012 23:12:58 +0000

We’ve been busy. The whole city has. The Super Bowl is a great way to make Indianapolis shine.

We’ve been busy volunteering with the Super Bowl Host Committee developing and implementing a strategy for foursquare for the most connected Super Bowl in history. I’ve been enjoying the opportunity to participate in the #social46 experience as well.

Once we get through this weekend we’ll have some great success stories to share with you.

Follow the Super Bowl Host Committee on foursquare at http://www.foursquare.com/superbowl2012.

Have a SUPER weekend!

Exploring Local Coffee On Foursquare Leads To BJava In Indy

Hust0058 — Wed, 16 Nov 2011 16:54:47 +0000

I love foursquare. I also love coffee. Combine the two by searching for coffee in the “explore tab” for some serendipitous delight. Foursquare also recognizes my caffeinated curiosity as a “Level 7 – Fresh Brew Badge”.

The other Saturday, I did just that. This exploration led me to BJava Coffee. To be fair, I had heard of BJava from Dig-IN: A Taste of Indiana and some other events, but I had never stepped foot into their location. I also had the incentive to unlock their special for $.50 off a latte. Turns out, I unlocked more than that.

I had a nice chat with the owner, BJ, who admits to using any sort of free promotion she can to market her business. Foursquare and Yelp are just a couple of sites where she offers online specials. After finishing my latte, I met Chris – BJava’s foursquare Mayor and the Duchess on Yelp. There’s something charming abut local businesses. A more personal connection than you might find at the Starbucks at the other end of this strip mall on 56th and Lafayette Rd.

Clever Coffee Dripper - Click to learn more

Before leaving I also made the investment of a bag of Honduran coffee beans and a Clever Coffee Dripper (which brews a better cup of coffee than my trusty french press… yup, I said it).

It is a pretty awesome contraption!

More incentive to try them out? A coupon to get $10 worth of BJava Coffee for $5! Hurry, supplies are limited and this offer lasts for 6 days via GreenClipping.

Where are your favorite, local coffee spots in Indianapolis? Leave a comment below and we’ll add those venues to a list on our 4sqINDY foursquare account!

Trick or Treat?! New foursquare badges for Halloween

Hust0058 — Sat, 29 Oct 2011 01:05:20 +0000

Foursquare is dishing out a treat for Halloween (and hopefully no tricks!).

First, you can start unlocking the Halloween 2011 badge by checking in and shouting “Happy Halloween!”.

There’s also a 2011 edition of the Spooky Swarm badge that is set to unlock with checkins at venues that are swarming through Halloween. I’m thinking we should all hit up the Irvington Halloween parade at 4p.m. on Saturday to support a great local event.

Thanks to the DoItIndy guys for featuring that as the top urban event of week.

PS – Just checked into the Sugarland concert at Conseco Fieldhouse and the Spooky Swarm badge didn’t unlock yet. Will keep you posted!

UPDATE: 10-29 @ 1pm: Foursquare announced that the Spooky Swarm badge will be available starting tonight at 9p.

How do the foursquare employees stack up on foursquare?

Eric Thomas — Fri, 12 Aug 2011 14:06:10 +0000

I found myself sitting at the foursquare homepage looking at the list of people I follow and noticed three of the 4Sq Staff I follow checked into their NYC HeadQuarters venue.

I clicked through to the venue with the intent to marvel at the billions of check-ins at the home of foursquare (14,487 check-ins). What struck me was the 85 people listed as staff on their venue, it makes sense as they all are staff at foursquare.

I then started thinking “with such an easy access list of all the people that work at foursquare, I wonder how they stack up against each other?” Here are my findings (data dated July 20, 2011*):

Average of all employees:
Days Out: 413 Check-Ins: 1332 Things Done: 109 Badges: 43 Mayorships: 4 Friends: 148 Followers (0s not included): 891 Following: 29

Other interesting tidbits:
Twenty-One staff have followers, Sixty-Four do not (aka Celebrity account). Only three people don’t have any tips (This includes Squarebot, who is clearly a bot and probably doesn’t have much of an opinion to share). Eleven 4Sq’ers have not linked their account to Twitter or Facebook, Two have their account linked with only Facebook, Thirteen linked with only Twitter, and the remaining Fifty-Nine link both Twitter and Facebook. Sixteen staff have Zero Mayorships.

Top Performers:
Dens leads in total Days Out (1801) and Followers (6510)
Naveen leads in Things Done (999) and Friends (570)
Nate F. leads in Check-Ins (5194) and Mayorships (36)
Holger L. leads in Following pages (145)
Mike S. is the Badge Champion with 99

I also plucked a tip from each staffer’s most popular tips… here’s a sprinkling of some of my favorites.
Dens shares Iron Works BBQ “Yeah, I know it’s packed but you gotta get the steak with the butter sauce (shit, what kind of sauce was it?) and the side of mac and cheese. Bananatown delicious.”
Naveen highlights Happy Ending with this quip “go downstairs. there’s no cell service = the best thing in the world. hide from everyone. get lost. get your friend to DJ. dance. take lots of great pictures. lose track of time. stumble out. 3:52 AM.”
harryh likes 151 “The best dimly lit, rock-and-roll, everyone is getting wasted, basement bar in nyc. Bring a posse, snag the back corner with the bead”
Alex R. fills us in on Palo Santo “I highly recommend going double porky: start with the pork belly tacos (homemade tortillas + guacamole are slamming) and end with the Heritage pork. Oink!”
J Crowley loves Fragole “Bolognese is a must. Some of the best I’ve ever had. Get a quartino of multipulciano too. Parpadelle with short rib ragu is a close second.”
Tristan has this to say about Peels “my favorite place in the city. Here’s what you need to do. 1) order the shrimp + grits (wow!), 2) order the La Chouffe beer (seasonal and awesome), 3) build a biscuit (bacon + pepperjack). Game over!”
Anna F. bring some international knowledge to the states with her tip at The Summit Bar “As a native Russian, I give you my word that Russian Standard vodka is the best. If you like cucumbers and lime juice, get the Charmaine Star. You’re welcome.”
Sam B. helps us find our way, on the cheap, at Livingston South Railway Station (LVG) “Looking for the Livingston Shopping Centre? Grab the 404 bus from the station every half an hour, normally costs £1 but free if you just got off the train!”
Jeff H. verifies the authenticity of Joe’s Ginger “Try shanghai thick noodle stirfry, YES! (Recommended a guy grew up from shanghai). Be aware of the only lady staff at the cash counter tho, very impatient!”
Akshay P. tips off the brewhounds at Amsterdam Ale House “Surprisingly good selection of local seasonal brews. Order up a $6 glass of something 10%+ abv and feel just a bit smug about finding this place.”
David B. reflects on his childhood at House Of Air Trampoline Park “This place is so rad! I wish I had something like this growing up. I’d be throwing corked 540′s left and right on the hill. An hour on the trampoline will get you in shape for the snow for realz.”

*Except for the 4 new staff that appeared after July 20, 2011: Coby B, Steve T, Eric Z, and Simon F; their data is dated Aug 3, 2011.

How To Use Foursquare to Bolster Your Blog Presentation At #BIN2011

Hust0058 — Fri, 05 Aug 2011 12:15:56 +0000

Headed to BlogIndiana? Check out this session presented by 4sqIndy’s Andy Huston.

How To Use Foursquare To Bolster Your Blog

Andy Huston
@hust0058

Friday, August 12th at 3:30 PM

Session Type: Intermediate, Tags: blogging, Foursquare

Beyond the check-in, learn the strategies you can use to build awareness of your blog with foursquare and engage with your readers when they are checking in.

Learn 5 strategies, illustrated by real examples, that will help your blog connect with new users and build a more loyal fan base. We’ll also share several examples of how you can connect and embed pieces of foursquare into your blog.

Will you be at BlogIndiana? There’s still time to register at blogindiana.com.

Have a preemptive question? Leave it in the comments below. Andy will be sure to address these and others from #BIN2011. Check back after the BlogIndiana Conference for some of his top foursquare tips for bloggers.

I Want That Badge: Harry Potter

Hust0058 — Fri, 15 Jul 2011 00:51:33 +0000

Harry Potter fans are in for a treat. In addition to getting dressed up in their maroon and gold for Gryffindor, Potter fans going to the movie will magically unlock a new foursquare badge!

Check in tonight at any movie theater and shout “Harry Potter” to unlock the badge!

What do you think of this badge? You know “He-Who-Shall-Not-Be-Named” is not impressed.

From Check-in to Check-out: Video with Foursquare Founder

Hust0058 — Thu, 14 Jul 2011 14:47:16 +0000

We just came across this YouTube video Q&A with Dennis Crowley, foursquare’s founder. Dennis adds some good, recent insights into the foursquare platform, foursquare’s growth, foursquare content and how brands are using foursquare.

What questions would you ask if you had 3 minutes and 24 seconds with foursquare’s team?

10 Ways Organizations Can Maximize Foursquare Tips

Hust0058 — Tue, 12 Jul 2011 14:01:59 +0000

This post originally appeared on Andy’s blog: Social Media for Social Organizations.

Foursquare is my favorite social network because it intersects with location. Nonprofits, associations, and social organizations can extend the reach of their organization by using foursquare’s tips that are left at venues. When a user checks in to a venue, a tip from that venue will appear in the app. Tips are a growing component of foursquare - accentuated by the new “Explore” tab.

Tips can be created online at foursquare.com or in the mobile app.

Organizations can maximize their presence on foursquare with these tips about tips:

Blend information about the venue and your organization (Stay relevant!)
Share something insightful or interesting or amusing… [NWF Example]
Be “evergreen” – a tip that won’t have an expiration date
Think “do-able” to inspire users to mark “I’ve done this”
Leave tips at venues that relate to your target audience
Add a link back to a related blog post on your site [DigIN Example]
Include a picture with your tip
Embed foursquare tips on your website [VisitPA example]
Promote your tips on Facebook / Twitter
Thank users for completing your tip (new notifications in the app or by email)
Bonus: Run a campaign to drive users to complete your tips during a certain time period.

What else would you like to see from organizations on foursquare?

4SqINDY

#4SqDay2013 was a blast!

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14 ProTips To Maximize Your Foursquare Experience

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Indy’s Super Bowl Is All Over Foursquare

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Exploring Local Coffee On Foursquare Leads To BJava In Indy

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Trick or Treat?! New foursquare badges for Halloween

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How do the foursquare employees stack up on foursquare?

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