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Why Foursquare Matters for ChatGPT

The hidden database behind ChatGPT's local recommendations

What is it?

Think of Foursquare as ChatGPT's phone book for local businesses. When someone asks ChatGPT "Where's a good coffee shop near me?" or "Find a plumber in Austin," it often reaches for Foursquare's database first.

You might not think about Foursquare much anymore, but it's still one of the largest location data providers on the planet. Apple Maps, Uber, Twitter, and yes, ChatGPT all tap into Foursquare's massive directory of places.

Why it matters for your business

If you're not in Foursquare's database, you're invisible to a huge chunk of AI-powered searches. It's that simple.

Here's what we've seen:

  • ChatGPT pulls local business data from Foursquare more than any other source we've tracked
  • Businesses with complete Foursquare profiles appear in AI recommendations 3-4x more often than those without
  • Claimed and verified listings get priority over unclaimed ones

We're not saying Foursquare is the only source ChatGPT uses, but it's a major one. And most businesses have no idea.

The technical details (for the curious)

Foursquare operates one of the world's largest POI (Point of Interest) databases with over 100 million locations. Their Places API provides structured business data that AI models love: names, addresses, categories, hours, ratings, and more.

When ChatGPT needs local business info, it can query Foursquare's API in real-time. The data is clean, standardized, and constantly updated by users and business owners.

What AI sees in your Foursquare listing:

Business name & categoryPrimary identifier
Address & coordinatesLocation accuracy
Hours & contact infoAvailability signals
Check-ins & tipsSocial proof

The magic happens when this data syndicates across platforms. Fix your Foursquare listing, and you might fix your data everywhere.

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See how your business performs on this metric.

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