Minneapolis Checks in to Foursquare

Thanks to the growing location-based social network Foursquare, the City of Minneapolis has a new way to reach very targeted audiences to advance specific business priorities.

Foursquare is a location-based mobile social network that allows users to check-in and share their location and activities with friends, and they can also receive tips related to the locations they are visiting. Foursquare users who want to follow the City of Minneapolis should visit www.foursquare.com/cityminneapolis and click “Follow City of Minneapolis.” 

The City of Minneapolis is focusing its presence on Foursquare on several specific priorities:

• increase the number of pet licenses in the city
• encourage students in Minneapolis schools to apply to the STEP-UP summer jobs program; and
• promote transparency in government by helping people understand how to watch or track City Council and Committee meetings (in person, online, on their smartphone).

Followers of the City of Minneapolis will be able to view tips about these city services and programs by checking in at different locations in Minneapolis using one of Foursquare’s mobile applications (available on iPhone, Blackberry, and Android devices). For example:

• If users check in at local dog park or certain pet stores, they’ll get a tip about the importance of pet licensing and how to license your pet.
• If users check in at a Minneapolis high school, they’ll see a tip that encourages young people to apply to the STEP-UP summer jobs program.
• If users check in at Minneapolis City Hall, they’ll get a tip about how to watch City Council meetings in room 317, on Minneapolis 79, and computer and smartphone.

Users can also see all of the City of Minneapolis’ tips on its Foursquare page. Additional tips will be added regularly at locations throughout the city that are tied to achieving specific objectives. 

Since launching its first social media account in 2008, the City of Minneapolis has become a local government leader in using social media to connect with city residents and stakeholders. More than 26,000 people combined like Minneapolis Snow Emergency and the City of Minneapolis on Facebook and more than 20,000 people follow the City of Minneapolis and Minneapolis Snow Emergency on Twitter. The City’s Twitter accounts were recognized in the November 2011 issue of Government Technology magazine as two of the most followed local government Twitter accounts in the country.