Number of users foursquare network in Montenegro is unknown for now, the total number of created locations, user registrations at those locations is also unknown...
However, insiders claim that all this should not deter anyone involved in business from at least trying to use the marketing potential of the geolocation network.
"Thanks to Foursquare, your small business can become big and recognizable," says the business coach and founder Blue Coach agencies Srdjan Vukcevic.
Foursquare is a relatively young social network, based on tracking the locations of network members through an application installed on the user's mobile device. The service works exclusively on devices that have a GPS function, which nowadays are all smart devices.
"Gambori in sweet and sour sauce. Large portion, very high in calories for one person, but with great taste", is one of the user's recommendations for a Chinese restaurant in Podgorica
"Gambori in sweet and sour sauce. A large portion, very high in calories for one person, but with great taste", is one of the user's recommendations for a Chinese restaurant in Podgorica.
For those who want to rent a car, it might be useful to know that they can reserve a car online at the Rent-a-Car in Montenegro agency. Montenegrin users were diligent and listed a large number of locations where free internet access is available.
However, the comments on Foursquare are not always positive and that is what is perhaps even more useful for the business - they hear first-hand where the problems are, what does not suit their customers...
"There is no wireless internet, there is no black beer, they only have domestic beer", is one of the impressions about the offer of a Podgorica pub.
The multiplication of comments and experiences of people who use Foursquare, says Vukčević, can be very dangerous for business - or it can turn into a great opportunity.
How to use Foursquare, Video: YouTube
This network, not only in Montenegro, but globally, does not have as many users as it does Facebook i Twitter. The number of Facebook users exceeded one billion in September. There are half as many on Twitter, while Foursquare has just over 20 million users. Foursquare, however, is directly connected to Facebook and Twitter, and through these networks the user can share every impression.
"And most of those who use Foursquare are very influential in the world of social networks, so each of their comments has an incredible resonance," says Vukčević.
There are numerous advantages of this geolocation network: Customers are impartial in evaluating products and services; thanks to Foursquare, an invisible business becomes visible very easily... In addition to users sharing their impressions of a certain location, location owners can also influence the visibility of their business on Foursquare.
This network enables the creation of digital loyalty programs, so it is possible to reward customers who spend the most time in your store or share the most content related to a certain business with others.
"You can attract a large number of new customers using the special offers you have created through Foursquare," advises Vukčević.
One of the Montenegrin companies that took advantage of this opportunity is La Mia Casa, distributor of Salt & Pepper, Nef-Nef, Brilliant and Viokef brands for Montenegro. For the first 100 applications, La Mia Casa gave away 100 cups with zodiac signs; a five percent discount is provided for every fifth application. A user who often logs in to a certain location becomes its major, and La Mia Casa has provided a 10 percent discount on items that are not already discounted for the major.
Among those who, in addition to the presence on Facebook and other social networks, also recognized the importance of Foursquare, is First Bank of Montenegro, all of whose branches and ATMs are mapped on that network.
Selecting any of the 57 user locations leads to a more detailed view of each of them
"Prva Bank marked all its locations, 57 of them, on Foursquare primarily for tourists and all those who want to find the nearest bank or ATM using their smartphones," says Jelena Pavićević, director of corporate communications. Prva banka decided to make such a move after this summer, the non-governmental organization Digatalisuj.me and the UNDP office in Montenegro (United Nations Development Program) started a mapping project of important locations in the north of Montenegro.
As some of the more successful specials from the region, Bojan Ćinćur singles out a parking space reserved for the major and one where, after ordering three beers, the bar's visitor can wish for which song the singer will sing for him
For now, as part of the Foursquare project for the development of the north of Montenegro, locations in national parks have been mapped Biogradska gora i Durmitor, the environment Niksic, Kolašin. Visitors to those areas can now easily find out on Foursquare where they can find accommodation, what are the taxi prices, who are the taxi drivers and how to get to them, there are also locations with recommended restaurants, as well as recommendations for hiking or some easier, "walking" ones. tours, information about locations with medicinal plants, producers of domestic products...
Just introduce the internet and there you have rooms and villages full of tourists >>>
Foursquare: Only the sky is the limit >>>
The goal of mapping locations in the north is to popularize the tourist potential of that part of the country. The goal of mapping any other location is not much different. For Vukčević, there is no dilemma when it comes to the presence on Foursquare, because thanks to that network, he says, "business enters the digital world and can easily become a big business from a small one, and recognizable in a much faster, more efficient and cheaper way than the traditional way of advertising or investment in marketing in general "...
Podgorica and the coast are the most active
From Montenegro, the most active users on the Foursquare network are from Podgorica and those on the coast. Bojan Cinćur, superuser, one of those who make sure that everything on the local level on that geolocation network is as it should be, says that there are many users from Russia on the coast, and that numerous tips are published in foreign languages from that part of Montenegro - Russian, English and Italian.
Ćinćur, as a superuser, helps in sorting out data and solving problems reported by users, which are related to the existence of duplicate locations, incorrectly entered names, positions...
"There are three levels of superuser and each of them has its own privileges. You can become a superuser after reading the Foursquare instructions and then passing the test, after which, after three to four weeks, you get approval and superuser status," he explains.
When he first became a superuser, Ćinćur says that he had a lot of work to organize the entered locations. Foursquare has defined rules regarding the method of entry, but, says Ćinćur, the most important thing is to pay attention to the location itself in the sense that it is placed on the map in the place where it is physically located, pay attention to the choice of the category to which the location belongs, and the entry of the name itself.
There were many wrong locations, but now everything has been minimized. There was a lot of work in the beginning, now it's only a few hours a week. Most of the entered data has been cleaned and sorted
Montenegrin users, adds Ćinćur, make the most mistakes in choosing a category and when naming the places they enter on Foursquare. However, today the superuser in Montenegro has much less work than before.
"There were many wrong locations, but now everything has been reduced to a minimum. There was a lot of work in the beginning, now it's only a few hours a week. Most of the entered data has been cleaned and arranged," he says.
How the region does it
As some of the more successful specials from the region, Bojan Ćinćur singles out a parking space reserved for the major and one where, after ordering three beers, the bar visitor can wish for which song the singer will sing for him. Here are some more successful regional specials...
CROATIA:
Akrokor: For five check-outs at certain Super Konzums, the user receives a HRK 50 gift voucher for purchases at the Konzum online store.
By checking in with a 4SQ friend at Super Konzum in Avenue Mall, the user receives a box of biscuits as a friendly gift.
ShoeBeDo provides free shoelaces for the first check-in, i.e. registration in its or Voodoo store.
After three registrations in Tisak media centers, the user receives a 50 HRK gift voucher that can be used to purchase books, music, movies and games.
Grawe insurance for the first application in one of their offices, the user receives a special benefit or a promotional gift.
SERBIA
McDonalds organized a promotional campaign, for three applications in a period of 14 days and a spent value of 200 dinars, the user could get one juice or pie.
KFC was giving away a bag of fries for checking in with a friend and buying a cup of chicken.
In the Stefanović jewelry store, they gave a discount on the purchase of unbranded silver jewelry for the first registration.
Foursquare in brief
The most important options of the Foursquare application are: Friends, Explore, Lists, Me and Check In.
Friends contains the activities of your friends, that is, those who last logged in to a location.
Explore allows you to search the surroundings and potential locations you would like to visit. You can filter the results by the following criteria: Specials, food, coffee, nightlife, shops, nearby buildings, famous outdoor locations.
Lists contains a list of tips (tips), i.e. those locations you have marked as ones you want to visit or have already visited. Me contains a list of your activities, and a list of locations where you are a major. Every time you check in to a location on Foursquare, you earn points. In the Stats section, your points and the points of your friends won in the last seven days are shown, which encourages the competitive spirit among users - who is the bigger "Foursquare maniac".
Option Check In allows logging into a specific location. Foursquare uses GPS to find the user's current position and offers locations near him. On each check, you can leave a comment, advice and photo. If the requested location does not exist, you can add it using the Add Place option that appears at the bottom of the list of location search results.
During the creation of the location, enter the name, address and confirm the location on the map.
Bonus video:
