Location-based social network Foursquare has announced today that it has entered a “strategic data syndication” deal with the Voice Media Group, which will allow the content provider’s Voice Places event data to appear throughout the Foursquare service.
The Voice Media Group says that this information will be available on Foursquare for more than 50 categories in eleven different cities across the United States, allowing users to check-in at relevant locations, explore trending events and also find events occurring close to their current location.
It’s an interesting partnership, and one that should help Foursquare move away from its aging image as a social check-in game, and strengthen its new position as a location-based recommendation service.
While the syndication takes place, Voice Media Group, which owns print publications such as New Times Broward Palm Beach, the Dallas Observer and OC Weekly, among others, will also be providing its ‘Best Of’ content to Foursquare, which is normally a website and set of apps aimed at helping users find the best businesses in cities scattered across the United States.
The privately held media company will also be awarding city-specific, leveled badges based on check-ins at locations or events featured on ‘Best Of’. Okay, so perhaps Foursquare hasn’t ditched the addictive badge collectathon just yet. But give it time.
“Foursquare is all about making the most of where you are, so we are always looking to partner with top publishers to provide interesting and relevant content on a city’s history, culture, and events,” said Jonathan Crowley, Director of Media Partnerships at Foursquare. “Our partnership with Voice Media Group will help bring expert local content to the nearly 30 million people in the Foursquare community.”
On the other side of the deal, the Voice Media Group will be featuring various Foursquare content on Voice Places, a website which the company describes as a “guide to what’s happening in America’s most vibrant cities.” This content will include trending data, tips and the identity of the mayor in various locations and events.
Foursquare will be syndicating the Voice Media Group’s data in the following locations specifically; New York (NY), Los Angeles (CA), Denver (CO), Phoenix (AZ), Houston (TX), Dallas (TX), St Louis (MO), Miami (FL), Minneapolis (MN), Broward/Palm Beach (FL), Orange County (CA).
Today’s announcement follows a map, released by Foursquare last week, which shows the last 500 million check-ins on its service, gathered over the last three months. It’s pretty impressive, and is a reminder of how much data the location-based social network has to use and leverage.
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