Where are you at?

Small businesses are gradually coming to grips with location-based apps, but why not be at the forefront and set your business up for the next wave of ‘check-in’ offerings?

Foursquare, which allows users to check-in to locations and earn loyalty bonuses from compliant businesses, is familiar to many start-ups, but there are signs that the sector is set to mushroom in Australia.

Facebook has launched its own location-based feature, called Places, while there are rival apps such as Whrrl and Gowalla that are set to expand beyond their US heartland.

Perhaps the most interesting is Shopkick, an app that rewards consumers for actually walking into a store. Customers earn ‘kickbucks’ for entering a business’ premises, giving them access to special offers from signed-up retailers.

Why not set up a business that is location-app friendly? Reward those who regularly buy your products but also make your outlet friendly to browsers. If people get a freebie merely from taking a look around your shop, they will be more inclined to come back and spend money next time.