WeReward: Someone finally got check-in apps right.

So many people, so many location-based applications.  That’s the par for the course lately.  So in all honesty, when I first heard about WeReward, another location-based checkin app, I wasn’t too excited.

But then, they said that they’d pay me.

No, not to write about it.  They’d pay me to check in at places.  This, I’m cool with.

Here’s the rundown, from Ted Murphy.  He’s the CEO of IZEA, the parent company of WeReward:

“The growth of location-based service applications is phenomenal,” said Ted Murphy, CEO of IZEA, parent company of WeReward. “What sets WeReward apart from other popular platforms is the Sponsored Checkin™, which encourages users to explore their neighborhoods and earn real money for making purchases at local businesses such as restaurants, movie theaters, attractions and national retail chains.”

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It’s also caught my attention, because it’s not just check-ins.  Businesses can set leverage for what they want you to do, in order to claim your reward.  Jones Soda, for instance, wants you to take pictures of you drinking their product.  Not unreasonable, considering that you’re going to get paid for it.

Businesses that advertise with WeReward apparently have full control over how much they spend, with no minimums in spending or length of commitment.  This, while not always fiscally responsible, is a really good idea for helping to get a product off the ground.

The idea is straightforward enough.  Check in, get points.  For each point, you earn a penny.  When you get 1,000 points, you can cash out via PayPal.    For a more in depth explanation, let’s catch the video:

Businesses can pay extra to be featured, and checking in with a featured business will earn you some extra points. Some extra cash is always good, and WeReward is paying you to do stuff you already do anyway. Plus, it’s a pretty interesting incentive to check out businesses that you might not have otherwise.

I know what you’re saying “but I’m already on Foursquare/Facebook/etc”.  And you’re right, that’s cool.  In fact, WeReward integrates right with the services that you’re already using, so you can keep those up to date, but get more than a free cup of coffee for doing so.

When there’s something that will pay me money for doing the things I already do, I consider it to be a pretty good day.  You should too, so give WeReward a try.