The next hot location-based platform: DoubleDutch
TechCrunch deemed it one of the “25 Startups That Will Be Shaping the Next Web.” It’s been described as “Foursquare for the enterprise” and “Ning for mobile social networks.” After hearing a lot of buzz about DoubleDutch recently, I was intrigued enough with its potential to have a call with the founder and CEO, Lawrence Coburn. Here is what I found out.What is DoubleDutch?
DoubleDutch is a white label, location-based iPhone app that works like Foursquare. The platform is similar to Foursquare in that you can find friends, check-in to locations, earn stickers (i.e. badges), and collect points. The difference with DoubleDutch is that it allows businesses, brands, and organizations to have their own app – customized by them and created solely for their audience. (Note: If you don’t yet know what Foursquare is, please read this post first)
Why is this interesting to marketers?
If you’re like me, it may have taken you a while to truly understand the value of Foursquare (or you may still be struggling to figure it out). Before I used Foursquare, I was getting tired of hearing my friends talk about how they got their “playa’ please” badge or how they were finally the Mayor of some hole in the wall bar. However, after a few weeks of trying it out, I was hooked. There is just something inherently fun about connecting with people, earning badges, and seeing your name “in lights” on a leaderboard.
DoubleDutch is important because it lets marketers tap into the same “secret sauce” that makes Foursquare so fun, addictive, and popular. It gives businesses an easy and affordable way to engage their audience when they are out-of-home and interested in connecting with others.
I still don’t quite “get it,” how about an example?
Imagine you’re at a conference. You just sat through another long presentation and you are trying to kill some time before the next panel. You haven’t seen anyone you know yet, so you are sitting alone and hoping to recognize a familiar face. Then you overhear some people talking about a mobile social app created specifically for the event and you decide to give it a try.
You launch the app and suddenly you see which of your friends and co-workers are at the event. You also see which presentation they are currently attending and which booth they last visited. With your remaining free time before the next session, you start participating in a game to try to win an iPad. You check-in at certain booths to uncover badges and gain points in the big sweepstakes drawing. You’re working your way up the leaderboard and hope to move up even further later in the afternoon. At the end of the day, you use the app to get reviews on local bars and restaurants. You then notice that that most of the people from the conference are currently at one bar in particular. You head over to that bar and meet up with your friends.
Who should consider using it?
DoubleDutch has done a good job of identifying potential businesses that could benefit from their app. Here are some of their ideas:
Primary Uses
Conferences: Attendees can connect and network in and around the event. They can also get access to local information about restaurants, bars, and points of interest.
Hotels: Guests can explore the hotel facilities and surrounding area. The app can also help guests traveling alone meet other guests staying at the hotel.
Universities: Students can explore their campus and nearby surroundings, and connect with each other in a secure, opt-in environment.
Other Uses
Sales forces can log their sales calls.
Companies and local governments can help their employees stay connected.
Music festivals can help attendees sync up at various stages.
Pick-up basketball players can self-organize around public courts.
Why couldn’t I just use Foursquare?
Foursquare is great mobile social platform, but it has limitations for business use. Unless you have very deep pockets, Foursquare isn’t going to make custom badges for your company. You also don’t have any control over the location-based information in their system. While it’s true that having a large existing base of Foursquare users is attractive, the customization of DoubleDutch makes it a better fit for many uses. With DoubleDutch, you can customize many key components of the app, including the name, logo, venue data, tabs, and stickers.
OK, I’m interested, what should I do next?
Give it a try! You can download a free demo of DoubleDutch in the iPhone app store (just search for “DoubleDutch”). Try it out today and think about how it can help you engage your target audience!
– John Boese
Location-based Apps is the major stream of 2010 social networkings. I think they can dig more!
It is truly a great concept, and a great app. It was a pleasure working with Rate-It-All, to get it launched. JumpFox had a blast launching the DoubleDutch app for them! We look forward to seeing it grow!