Foursquare: It's Time to Be Open About Metrics
Posted in: UncategorizedAfter five years of obfuscation, it’s time for Foursquare to decide if it’s going to be a real media company, one worthy of marketers’ attention. The lesson for Foursquare and its peers on the sell side is simple: Be open and transparent if you want to be taken seriously.
Foursquare has refused to release its metrics on monthly active users (MAUs) since it launched in 2009. I should know, as I’ve asked them repeatedly while representing two different agencies. Then I had an exchange with Foursquare, which I told I was considering writing this column. I’m still no closer to an answer.
What prompted all this was a message Foursquare sent to its first million users about a forthcoming update to the app, described publicly on its blog. The missive noted, “You’ve seen us grow from a tiny project to a 50,000,000-strong community.” The zeroes seems to carry a hint of self-aggrandization, and something seemed off, as did its liberal use of the word “community.” Who is really using it now?
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