More than a Mayor: Context Optional Facebook Fan Ranking App

Facebook Places gets a little more “Foursquare-ized” today with the introduction of Context Optional’s Facebook Places Check-In Leaderboard. According to Context Optional, this is the first product that enables brands to recognize users who check in to Facebook Places, such as retail stores and restaurants, and reward top fans with promotions and special offers.

The customizable Places Check-In Leaderboard allows guests who check in to various locations to claim ownership of said locations via specially-designated categories which are tied to frequency of check-ins. Brands who implement a Places Check-In Leaderboard will be able to create Leaderboard categories such as “High Roller” and “Shop-a-holic” and attach special deals and offers to top fans on the Leaderboard. An example leaderboard can be seen on Context Optional’s Facebook page.

“Location-based marketing is a highly prized opportunity for brands,” said Kevin Barenblat, CEO and co-founder, Context Optional. “We’re excited to be the first company to provide brands a solution for capitalizing on Facebook Places.”

Check-ins are made on mobile platforms and presented them on brands’ Facebook landing Pages on Facebook.com. As a Facebook app, the leaderboard will only be accessible to fans via their desktop – there is no instant gratification or other brand feedback for the fans on their mobile devices, a significant loyalty-enhancing feature found on location-based services with dedicated mobile applications.

The Facebook Places Check In Leaderboard is part of Context Optional’s Social Marketing Suite an integrated, SaaS solution for enterprises to build, monitor, manage and measure their brand presence on Facebook. Social Times posted a profile of the subscription-based Social Marketing Suite in July.

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