The power of peer expectations.
Last week I deleted the Foursquare app from my phone… again. I had deleted it once before, only to installing it one more time for a conference I was attending. It’s a simple way to find out where your friends are. And that’s true. It’s simple. But so is sending a text message and asking, “Where are you?”
If I’m really being honest with myself, I installed it because everyone else was using it and I didn’t really feel like talking about why I wasn’t using Foursquare. I’ve never been a huge fan of Foursquare. And the times I’ve used it most have been “cool trips.” I was in Australia twice last year and used it extensively, and really, that was just an excuse to brag about where I was. That’s a sucky reason to use an app.
Fast forward to last week. I had not checked in on Foursquare in almost a month and the only time I had done so before that was because I felt like I “needed to.” I wish I could explain in more detail the feeling I had in that moment, but in retrospect, it felt a lot like the peer pressure you might feel in high school to be a part of the “cool crowd.” I didn’t like the feeling. So, I deleted the app.
And I wondered if others felt the same way. This morning, someone raised their hand.
@jeffturner I might have to free myself from the slavery soon.:)I do it just b/c I am “expected” to keep involved in social
— Brendan King (@brendanking) March 22, 2012
Stop Doing Things For Sucky Reasons
I knew I couldn’t be alone in my dysfunction. It was refreshing to see someone voicing the same feelings I was having. My response to Brendan was this, “I hear you… I felt similarly… and I think that’s a sucky reason to do anything.” I don’t think I was telling him anything he didn’t already know. I think that’s obvious. Thanks for sharing so openly, Brendan. Perhaps there’s a 12-step program for people like us.
Our short conversation started because I had retweeted this from Ben Kunz, “I don’t see many Foursquare updates in my stream anymore. What do you think? Are people giving up on LBS silliness?” I think Brendan’s first response is probably accurate, people may finally decided to turn off automatic updates to Twitter when they check in. Or perhaps the “location as focus” is giving way to “location as context” inside other social networks. It has for me. I use location in Facebook and Path to provide context for photos, and status updates for example. That makes sense to me. I may install the Foursquare app again some day, who knows, but for now, my location needs are well served inside other social networks.
And before my location-centric real estate friends jump all over me, I know some of you are having success using Foursquare to connect with users. Tamara Dorris shared some great stories about her Foursquare use yesterday. I get it. I really do. But I don’t do business locally. Location is simply not a part of how I connect with people I gain as clients. And when I’m not travelling… quite frankly, I check in at home and don’t leave much.
So, I wonder, how many others are using Foursquare because they’re “expected” to keep involved in social media, or for some other sucky reason?
Good point. I find myself focusing on the useful and relevant more and more and dropping the rest.
For me, I believe it’s a natural progression based on experience over time. It’s sorta like when your first learn how to use a Publishing Program, you might use all different fonts, because you can, and colors and animations and blah, blah blah. Then you figure out that simplicity, elegance and relevance trump shiny, shoulds and because I coulds.
I still try to check out the new, I don’t want to stop learning, but my criteria for choosing what to love and what to lose is more refined and disciplined.
Thanks for sharing Jeff. Cheers.
I’m certainly in that same boat, Ken. I love trying new things out… sometimes simply to experience the UI. “Popular,” however, has become, and is becoming more irrelevant for me.
Jeff,
Excellent post. I am in total agreement, and SPECIFICALLY as it relates to this particular app.
Thanks for peer pressuring me into deleting it. [LOL]
On a larger and more macro scale, I can feel the totality of Social Media receding like a wave from the shore (with the most inland advance of the wave representing the peak of “Shiny Mania”).
We all arrive at these revelations at different times, of course, but I think many are less likely to jump on the “hot and next thing” train today than perhaps six months ago.
Then again, maybe that’s just me and others will feel differently…
Best,
Michael McClure
For me, Michael, I’m trying to replace the hype-filled language often used to describe social media with a more moderate approach to all platforms. I LOVE social media, most of the time. I HATE social media, some of the time.
My profile is still there on Foursquare. I may install it again at some point, but when/if I do, it will be for a reason of my choosing, not because I feel like I need to do so.
Jeff,
Well articulated.
I will admit that I “tried” Foursquare PURELY from a “shiny object/peer pressure” perspective. I’m not sure I ever even posted 10 times, ever, total. Every time I did, I thought, “Why am I doing this? I don’t get it.”
I never got it. I still don’t. I doubt I ever will.
And “yes” to a more moderate discourse as it relates to all things Social Media…
Best,
Michael
Great post Jeff. I think if I didn’t require local business, I wouldn’t be so inclined to be a fan of Four Square. That said, the location factor is simply another way agents (and other region-specific)folks, can find an entry-point to connect and engage.
It will be interesting to see, over time, how this particular platform ferrets out, but as you know, thus far, I’m pretty jazzed about it 🙂
Yes, and they way you’re using it makes complete sense to me. You have every reason to be jazzed.
Just goggle some of his graphs…it pretty much narrows down the topic without reading the books. Unless you want the hype-cycle of a particular technology, then you should take a deeper dive into his books. There is a nice interactive graph here: http://goo.gl/8wRfg
According to Gartner when second and third generations of a technology begin to appear, you are finally reaching the productivity plateau. I haven’t seen many generations of Foursquare. Have you? hmm?
For the small business person, I am beginning to believe we should let others spend all the TIME and money to reach the productive plateau level. Of course I am addicted to new technologies and the innovation surrounding them and may need that twelve step program you referred to in your blog. 😉
I never liked Foursquare and I got in completely out of “peer pressure”. Exactly as you say. I’ve used it here and there and its been out of sight out of mind for quite some time now. While I haven’t deleted it off my phone, I did delete the Facebook app. Because really at the end of the day quick checks on my phone was not adding any value to anything I was doing.
I think at the end of the day it boils down to the who and the why ..and even the how.
Knowing what to share,who to share it with and when it may even be worth keeping one’s mouth shut,virtual or actual.
I love where I live,I love where I work…I think photos are great,I think comments in context are great,and I believe there is potential-whether its something like foursquare or anything else to add something of value to the conversation.
…even if its bragging 🙂 last week I found myself away for a death in the family,but the occasional sharing of photos for the few hours I had to decompresss,actually lead people to think I was on vacation…at that time it was a way for me to distract myself from the depressing reason for the journey,and perhaps share another passion and love with others.
If I have nothing worth saying,I just stay quiet.That’s what my momma taught me 🙂
My internal instincts have been telling me for a while to turn off some of this digital noise. Foursquare is one of those bright and shiny digital “things” that is quickly circling the drain in my world. I know it works for some, but not for me. It doesn’t work for me because of ME however. I did not have a strategy or plan to implement or integrate it into my business or personal agenda. I jumped on the hype-cycle early (http://www.gartner.com) and peaked, then crashed and burned. I know Gartner wrote the Hype-Cycle book just for me! lol!
Jeff, Foursquare will reach a nice level of productivity for some, IMHO if they use it as a daily integrated TARGETED business strategy. But right now for me it is just another…. SQUIRREL!!!
I’m going to have to go check out Hype-Cycle now.
Meh. I don’t know. I use FourSquare because it’s fun. And more and more often, I use it because it provides me with coupons or specials … that sort of thing. But I use it for my reasons.
The people who like it should use it, the people who don’t shouldn’t. It isn’t more complicated than that. Use of anything shouldn’t have anything to do with peer pressure. That said, NOT using something shouldn’t have anything to do with peer pressure.
Along those lines, I’d love to know how many people stop using FourSquare after reading this post … because YOU stopped using it.
I hope it’s zero.
My hope is also that the number would be zero. I’ll bet it won’t be, though. 🙂
Oh! The other thing I use it for is as a kind of personal journal. I like being able to look back and see the places I visited; it’s fun. 🙂
Now, that I have done. But I have some ideas I’m going to explore around that, using my blog as the source.
But for most of us, especially in real estate, it is local. HYPER-LOCAL. You Mr. Turner are just not the norm (and that’s why we love you and your adventures).
But I have gained leads from helping people maneuver thru Charlotte or Waxhaw, having them follow my tips and such. I have recommended it to my relocation clients in the past to help them adjust to their new surroundings. I have been thanked more than once for suggesting it. I’ve also gained a bit of notoriety for my “food porn” and actually receive some pretty decent discounts at local establishments for sharing my posts now.
I am very cautious with FourSquare and ALL LBS, and have had my creeper moments too, but have learned to control that by timing my posts for when I’m ready to leave.
Although I respect your opinion regarding your usage, I stand by my opinion too. And no… I don’t think I will succumb to social media pressure. Even yours. 😛
I don’t want you to succumb to my pressure. I’m not trying to exert any. I made a concerted effort to try to like Foursquare. Heck, I even tried using stalking Nicole Nicolay as a motivator and even that didn’t work.
I’m just talking outloud and seeing what others are feeling on the subject. Nothing about Foursquare ever really resonated with me. Discounts? I think I took advantage of one discount in my many years of using Foursquare, so that was never a motivator for me either.
As I said in the post, I know LOTS of people in RE that are using Foursquare, loving it, having fun, and say they are growing their business at the same time. Heck, Corcoran Groups use of Foursquare is amazing to me. I applaud it all. To you and anyone else using it for your own reasons, I say, “more power to you.”
I like how Lori be called it Hyper-Local…that’s what I was trying to think of yesterday. Of course I also like that she said Jeff isn’t the norm. :-))))
I didn’t delete FourSquare. FourSquare deleted me.
When they did some kind of update a year or more ago, I wasn’t able to log back in (who knew what email i used to originally sign up for 4square). So I just gave up and deleted it from my phone. Why waste the space afterall.
But then this past SXSW in Austin, I just created a NEW FourSquare account in order to keep up with all my friends and what cool parties and booths they were attending. It was a great way to catch up with many of my SM friends who I hadn’t seen in a long time.
Will I keep using it?
dunno
Maybe? Esp since I’m now in a new city — to make new friends and connect with people checking in Downtown so i can quit being a hermit and get out of my apt.
But I def resist other “trends” and social media bandwagons, just because “everybody’s talking about it”. Who has time to engage in all of them anyway?
Answer: Not I.
(I think this is turning into a much needed blog post for my own NEW branded blog/site…. Thanks 4 inspiring me Jeff! As Always.
I didn’t delete Foursquare, but I did turn off notifications a while ago. I’m not opposed to the platform; I think it’s a clever way to tie people to locations.
The problem with FS is that it’s interruptive & non-contextual. I don’t need to be interrupted from my activities to know that Suzie checked in to a nail salon. It’s totally unnecessary information. It also lacks context in the sense that FS doesn’t match check-ins to my interests or activities – it’s just a blind notification.
However, I think FS does make traveling to new places more interesting… I can see if any of my friends have ever been to a place, and maybe ping them for suggestions or to let them know I’m following in their shoes. I might check in to a hotel in Vegas so that a friend in the future might text me after seeing my checkin from months ago and ask for a restaurant suggestion or something. Under a specific use-case, I think Foursquare has a lot to offer.
Foursquare isn’t really the problem – to me, it’s the blind notifications. If they can make check in’s contextual and relevant, then I’d re-enable them.
As with any worthwhile social media engagement, it should add value to existing conversations or help to create/foster new relationships. Personally, I think so many online involvements these days are robbing us of the time we should be interacting f2f or from using other platforms that truly encourage meaningful dialog….
Great Article. I too found myself rethinking my FourSquare use many months ago. My prompting …someone asking if I ever ate at home! Which of course I do, a lot, but never felt compelled to post that.
I yet again decided that I didn’t need to be THAT connected so everyone knew where I was at any given moment.
Social Media for my benefit!
“Make That Mayor of the Copier!!!”
HI Jeff – I don’t use Foursquare because I never really embraced it because I didn’t necessarily want everyone to know where I was.