Today, Foursquare unveiled a new look, new logo, and most importantly they announced a new feature that will be a core focus of their business going forward – personalized local search.
Local search, as we know it today, doesn’t “get” its users, Foursquare contends. With that being the case, we all get similar results when conducting a local search in our area.
Fourquare asks: “Why should two very different people get the same recommendations when they visit Paris? Or the same list of places when they’re looking for a bar?”
In a couple weeks that’s about to change, as Foursquare is set to roll out a brand new version that is all about its users. Tell Foursquare what you like, and it will match you up with a local establishment that suits your taste.
Out With The Old, In With The New
Anyone who still uses Foursquare to check in will need to download Swarm to keep checking in. Starting tomorrow (July 24), all Foursquare checkins will be moved to its new app, Swarm. All friends, photos, and check-in history will appear automatically in Swarm.
If you use both Swarm and Foursquare, they are said to work seamlessly together.
The Foursquare logo is changing from the check-in checkmark to something representing the new Foursquare.
We designed it to be a mix of map pin and superhero emblem. We’ve always thought of Foursquare as giving you superpowers to explore your city, and our new logo reflects that vision. It’s coming soon to a homescreen near you.
Personalized Local Search
When you open the new Foursquare app, no two people will have the same experience. The app will be 100% customized to your tastes after getting to know you.
When you add tastes, follow experts, or even just walk around for a few days, the app will start to understand the kinds of places you like to visit. Your check-in history up to this point will be used to help shape your recommendations when the new version of the app launches, the company says.
“This is the beginning of the ‘personalized local search’ future we’ve been talking about since we started,” Foursquare explains that this couldn’t be done without its 50 million members.
The announcement states that the new Foursquare will be here “really soon”.
