Why Facebook Places Would be an Instant Hit

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Facebook is the hottest property on Internet now and any update on the social network spreads like wild fire. Latest buzz in Facebook is Places feature.  Even if this check-in-utility is not unique with players like Foursquare and Gowalla already making the most of it, Facebook still takes an edge for it massive user base. The location-based-service has been designed for smartphones, which already have such apps.

The Facebook Places utility would essentially perform three tasks

• Helping people to share their location to those connected to them in the social network
• Locate the friends in close proximity
• Search for nearby places and new places through friends’ profiles

The simple question that might arise is why would anyone use Facebook and not Foursquare or instead.  What’s really exciting about the venture is that Facebook has partnered with both the teams - Foursquare and Gowalla. They would be leveraging the new Places API. These services will allow users to check-in and publish data to Facebook feed.
Adding to the features will be Facebook’s two launch partners Yelp and Booyah for the new API.  Yelp will provide you the interface to post your check-ins in and out of Facebook. Booyah are working on a new app called InCrowd build on the Places API.

Still more, Facebook will be offering the feature to tag the venues and save them.

Facebook will soon be launching a read API that will allow users to check-in and find out more about a specific location. The write and search API are currently in beta testing.

With the incursion of above features users might find Facebook Places a one-stop-shop to find their friends and explore new destinations. More evidently, this could be an instant hit with Facebook buffs, as they spent a greater part of their time on the site.

Until we get a clue of the next big thing from Facebook, you can share your experience with this feature.