There's a new social media platform contender in town, eagerly snapping at the heels of the big boys. Not that Facebook and Twitter have too much to worry about at this stage. Well, maybe Twitter a little bit. Last month technology website mashable.com reported that new social media platform Foursquare was approaching its 4 millionth member – certainly not a number to be sniffed at.

So, what is Foursquare? Well, according to their website, it's a place to "Check-in, find your friends, unlock your city" or, more explicitly "Foursquare on your phone gives you and your friends new ways of exploring your city. Earn points and unlock badges for discovering new things".

Discovering Foursquare
Similar to Facebook's Places App, Foursquare enables users to update and comment on their geographical location at any one time from their mobile device.

The release of version 2.0 for the iPhone will no doubt help Foursquare's fan base grow, currently growing at an estimated 20,000 users per day (source: mashable.com) – a rate that is leaving competitors such as Gowalla far behind.

Foursquare in the UK
After establishing a strong American user base, Foursquare's UK presence will no doubt be aided by their partnership with Vodafone UK, announced earlier this year - a move that will see customers gain instant access to the feature via their new handset. A partnership which will give the platform exposure to millions of potential new users.

Not content it seems with a mere UK mobile market share, Foursquare's General Manager Evan Cohen recently confirmed that the start-up has reached out to "all major carriers and handset manufacturers in the U.S. and abroad," and that they expect to "strike similar deals in the future." (source: mashable.com).

Foursquare and Your Business
Not all businesses will want to engage with customers using Foursquare. The obvious application of the platform suits primarily consumer facing businesses such as restaurants, cafés, hotels, hairdressers, retailers, attractions and more. This doesn't mean to say other businesses are excluded though, especially if Foursquare adds new features with the aim of diversifying its user base.

Ultimately, if you are already focussed on delivering excellent value for money and outstanding customer service then you're doing what it takes to win over Foursquare users.

As Foursquare continues to grow its user base in the UK however, you will be well advised to add and then claim your business in order to start engaging with customers on a whole new level.

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