Location Matters

Marcus Marquez, bottom right, owner of L Wine Lounge & Urban Kitchen, says geography-based social media has “really saved our industry.” He says his midtown restaurant has seen a boost of 5 percent to 10 percent a month from Foursquare alone.

Image: Dennis McCoy/Sacramento Business Journal

Geography-based social networking is all the buzz, and now Twitter is getting into the game.

Twitter’s location-based service, called Twitter Places, could be a powerful tool for small businesses, local social-media consultants say. Many businesses—and individuals, for that matter—haven’t found a purpose for Twitter. But it is one of the two biggest names in social networking (Facebook being the other), and the ability to put a location stamp on a Twitter message through Twitter Places might be the push people need to jump in.

Through Twitter Places, businesses can see all the Twitter posts being made from their establishment and use that information to better engage with and connect to customers. While customers are still on the premises, a restaurant, for example, could offer those diners a special deal or immediately make right any service or quality problem the diners are micro-blogging about.

Geo-based social media has “really saved our industry,” L Wine Lounge & Urban Kitchen owner Marcus Marquez said, referring to the restaurant industry and the larger hospitality industry. Geoservices such as dominant brand Foursquare have provided “all these ways to communicate with your guests” for free, albeit at a cost of his own time spent learning and using social media for his restaurant, he said.

Marquez estimates Foursquare alone has boosted business 5 percent to 10 percent a month from people who like to check in often to earn what are called “badges” and the title of “mayor.”

Marquez said he’s looking forward to seeing how and to what degree his customers use Twitter Places, and how he should respond. He’s curious which of the location-based platforms ultimately will win over his customers—whether Twitter Places, Foursquare, Facebook, which also plans a location-based service, or something new.

Because Twitter Places is only a few weeks old, few businesses in the region are aware of it, local social-media consultants say. As for small businesses, Twitter Places will probably appeal to restaurants or service providers already using Foursquare, predicts Lesley Miller, 3Fold Communications’ media director who advises clients on social media.

“Location-based technology is surging in popularity,” she added.

One of the biggest reasons for small businesses to use geo-based networking services, she said, is so they can “listen to their customers in a new way” and get better feedback.

For more on location-based social media, click here for the full story from the Sacramento Business Journal (subscription required).