Foursquare usage is not really that different in the U.S. than outside the U.S. says Dennis Crowley on the Web 2.0 Summit stage this week in San Francisco.
Apparently 50% usage of this growing-in-popularity location based network is outside the U.S. They plan to focus on building out a European team next year.
“The bigger we get, the bigger the opportunities that come to us,” he says in response to whether they plan to stay independent or get acquired.
Dennis doesn’t seem to be wedded to either one as long as they can continue to build a product the way they want to build it. “The only thing that we want to do is build a product to where we want it to be in a year from now, three years from now…..We want to build tools that change the way all the people in this room experience the real world.”
Of Foursquare’s growth, he says that they’re launching new features every few weeks and as each new feature gets launched, the pieces of the puzzle comes together more and more. In other words, those who may not necessarily understand the value of what Foursquare can bring to them personally today, may see new “nuggets” that make it worth their time.
With more than 10 million downloads, Foursquare remains the category leader in LBS (location-based services).
A new addition called RADAR for the iPhone which was announced earlier this month, could either be perceived to be a cool new feature or scary.
They’re trying to make it less painful to check in or rather have to “think about” checking in when you arrive somewhere. So, rather than having to check-in to see what’s happening at a venue, Radar uses the technology introduced in iOS 5 to provide you with notifications when you are close to a location that might be of interest to you.
If you find yourself close to a venue where your friends may be hanging out or a place on you go to frequently, Foursquare now sends you a notification to let you know.
When looking back at the past innovations he has worked on, starting with Dodgeball, Dennis says he doesn’t understand when people ask him what kind of start-up they should do. He says, “focus on your passion, what you love, what you want to build that no one else is building or doing and go from there.” Hear hear.
I’d add this: at the end of the day, if you wake up years from now wondering why you’re doing what you’re doing, you’ve made the wrong decision. Do what matters….to you….no one else.
Renee Blodgett is the founder of We Blog the World. The site combines the magic of an online culture and travel magazine with a global blog network and has contributors from every continent in the world. Having lived in 10 countries and explored nearly 80, she is an avid traveler, and a lover, observer and participant in cultural diversity.
She is also the CEO and founder of Magic Sauce Media, a new media services consultancy focused on viral marketing, social media, branding, events and PR. For over 20 years, she has helped companies from 12 countries get traction in the market. Known for her global and organic approach to product and corporate launches, Renee practices what she pitches and as an active user of social media, she helps clients navigate digital waters from around the world. Renee has been blogging for over 16 years and regularly writes on her personal blog Down the Avenue, Huffington Post, BlogHer, We Blog the World and other sites. She was ranked #12 Social Media Influencer by Forbes Magazine and is listed as a new media influencer and game changer on various sites and books on the new media revolution. In 2013, she was listed as the 6th most influential woman in social media by Forbes Magazine on a Top 20 List.
Her passion for art, storytelling and photography led to the launch of Magic Sauce Photography, which is a visual extension of her writing, the result of which has led to producing six photo books: Galapagos Islands, London, South Africa, Rome, Urbanization and Ecuador.
Renee is also the co-founder of Traveling Geeks, an initiative that brings entrepreneurs, thought leaders, bloggers, creators, curators and influencers to other countries to share and learn from peers, governments, corporations, and the general public in order to educate, share, evaluate, and promote innovative technologies.
