Location-based service foursquare has already proven a great driver of customer loyalty by rewarding users who check-in frequently at businesses in their area. Now, the service has launched a new feature that engenders the brand-consumer dialogue in a powerful way.

The Location Layers feature allows businesses to provide tips at locations that exemplify their brand or provide value to their customers. Users can opt in to the feature and select which brands they want to receive tips from, allowing them to see places through the eyes of their favorite brands. The user then receives news, tips or fun facts from the brand when they check-in to that location or one nearby.

Huffington Post and IFC have already partnered with foursquare to deliver location-relevant content to users that opt in to the feature.

Businesses are provided with an opportunity to reach their audience at a truly grassroots level and achieve greater influence than ever before. It is also a way to market to the best audience – those standing right outside a business’ doors. Customers targeted by Location Layers are guaranteed to a) be interested in the brand or what the brand has to say (or else they wouldn’t be following) and b) be in or near a location where they can benefit from the brand – two key factors in getting someone’s business.

For example, Suzie checks in at the local library. When she does this, she receives a tip from her favorite Brand A suggesting that she takes advantage of a special at the restaurant across the street. Suzie is much more likely to visit this restaurant than Joey, who learned about the special from Twitter while sitting at his office desk across town.

This breakthrough creates a new medium for brands to access their audience. It may be the most effective way to reach an audience yet since content directed to a relevant, user-specific location tends to be more meaningful and of higher quality than a message created for mass consumption.

Location Layers provides foursquare with an incredible opportunity for partnering with brands to provide outreach marketing. Foursquare, and other location-based services have opened the door for highly targeted, relevant messaging. As foursquare creates more and more ways for brands to work with the platform, users can expect to see more and more content from their favorite brands coming their way.

By Rachel Nieman

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