Watch Me Now!

In the past few months I have noticed an increase in popularity in social media tracking services, such as Foursquare, where people are "checking-in" places and then sending their location to other social media outlets.  It seems like everywhere you look, someone is telling you that they are at the mall or at their favorite restaurant.  New companies are coming up with other activities to track and share; it seems as though no activity will remain undocumented!  AdvertisingAge recently published an article that gives us some idea of what's to come in next few months.

At the moment, Facebook doesn't offer a check-in application for viewership of TV and movies, so TVGuide online has swooped in and taken the initiative.  Starting in October, they will offer a check-in feature that utilizes Facebook technology.  When TV enthusiasts visit TVGuide.com, they will be able to click a button and share with social media outlets what they're watching.  Networks and movie studios have partnered with social outlets to offer rewards to those that use the check-in feature.

How long do you think it will be before Facebook jumps in?  Facebook has recently launched its version of Foursquare, called Places.  At the same time it also acquired a fairly new company that offered the same services.  At the moment, Facebook claims that is has no plans to release a TV and movie check-in app, however networks are claiming the contrary.

So how can this TV check-in feature be of any benefit?  It seems like most people take it upon themselves to post what they are doing at any given moment on the social media outlet of their choosing.  Among those posts there are often comments about their new favorite movie, or quotes from a TV show they are currently watching.  Is a formal button to click really necessary to tell everyone what you're watching? 

Well, if Facebook does eventually start its own app to track TV and movie watching, it has the potential to track millions of users; the smaller independent sites can't even compare with this number.  The database Facebook could create with all of its users' watching preferences could be incredibly useful.  Companies such as Netflix could tap into the preferences and use the data to suggest rentals to their existing customers.  Companies that offer DVR services could use the data to help customers manage their recordings and suggest shows they may like.  Tracking viewing habits and preferences has great potential benefits not only for companies such as these, but also for the customers.

So next time you're watching TV, consider grabbing your cell phone and checking-in on TVGuide.  Someone has to care about what you're watching, right?