Google challenges Foursquare with Schemer

December 09, 2011 | Online Marketing

Google Schemer launched yesterday as an invite-only Web application designed to help people explore new and familiar cities. While still pretty mediocre out of the gate, Schemer has all the makings of a Foursquare challenger.

Schemer is structured around the user building a list of “schemes” (a.k.a. things) to do, surfacing ideas from friends and experts, and marking off the schemes that have been completed. Doesn’t that sound a whole lot like Foursquare tips and to-do lists?

Now, consider that Google has launched Schemer with media partners such as Bravo, Zagat, Thrillist, Food Network, Rolling Stone, IGN and Entertainment Weekly, each of which have Schemer pages replete with schemes that read a whole lot like the tips you’ll find on Foursquare brand pages. Do you start to see a pattern.

If not, let me break it down for you: Google is building up a base of location-based tips, sourced from media partners and users, that has the potential to evolve into something quite grand.

Schemer is also tied into Google+, making it inherently social and easy for folks to add users and — this is key — media partners to their Google+ Circles.

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