Thursday, June 9, 2011

Why the Check-in will not die in 2011 (or any time soon

SimplyZesty reporting:
An anonymous author on Read Write Web recently proclaimed the death of the Check-In in 2011, pointing to factors such as falling numbers on Foursquare and modest check-ins on Facebook Places as indicators of the decline in interest among users. At the time this caused a bit of a stir among the blogging community and Shel Holtz responded with a balanced look at how the check-in isn’t changing, but evolving. Despite long being critical of location based services and the very concept of checking-in, I’m going to put my neck on the line and say that 2011 could be the year that the check-in arrives, albeit differently to how we thought it might look.
Since the introduction of Facebook Places, the very concept of checking in has crossed over into the mainstream and begun to take on a life of its own. While checking in on Facebook Places might not have reached overly impressive numbers quite yet, the type of person that is checking in is changing quickly. From a personal point of view I have friends checking in on Facebook that would have laughed at my use of Twitter and called me the ultimate geek if I dared to mention the likes of Foursquare. 
The concept of checking in is also taking on a life of its own as it moves way beyond the confines a location based network. Checking in is evolving as the shorthand for tracking your virtual life. GetGlue were the first site to really use this to great effect, offering people the chance to check in to TV shows, websites etc. This is where the idea of checking in gets interesting and extends its reach even further into the mainstream. You’ll find a lot more people who want to check in to their favourite TV show while it’s on and see who else is viewing, than you would the likes of people checking in to a cinema for the sake of it.
http://www.simplyzesty.com/mobile/why-the-check-in-will-not-die-in-2011-or-any-time-soon

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