Foursquare is a very exciting community to be a part of. Not only it gives you a chance to discover more about top local businesses, it can also help you connect with your friends and contacts. Just like Twitter and Facebook, Foursquare has a vibrant community. In order to have a successful profile on foursquare, you are going to have to be a bit active. Providing tips to others and checking out local businesses are just a couple of ways to get more out of this community.

If you are just getting started with Foursquare, these 7 steps can help you get more out of its community:

1. complete your profile: this should go without saying. Every Foursquare user should take time to complete their profile and choose the appropriate settings for it. You also have the option to link your other social accounts to your Foursquare profile.
2. add your “real” friends: Foursquare is not like Twitter. You want to make sure you add people that you know at some level. It could be a bit risky adding people you absolutely do not know. Some people worry about not having enough friends on Foursquare. If you are active in other social networks and meet up with enough people on a regular basis, you can increase your number of friends fast (on Foursquare and Facebook).
3. get out there: if you have the time to get out and check out local businesses in your area, you should. Foursquare is not a social network you can master from your bed.
4. leave tips for others: one of the best ways to build credibility and a following on Foursquare is by providing others with tips on how to get the most out of their experiences in your local area. So leave tips and do it often.
5. meet your online friends in real life: it is nice to have thousands of Twitter and Facebook friends. It is even better to meet these folks in real life. Foursquare can be your best friend here. It can help you build a more solid relationship with your contacts and fans.
6. take advantage of apps: there are plenty of applications available for Foursquare. You can use these apps on your mobile devices, tablets, and so on. Don’t forget to take advantage of them. Apps such as Gate Guru and Friend Center can be quite helpful.
7. don’t forget your video camera: if you are planning to visit new businesses in your local area, there is no reason you should not take your camera with you. Most phones do have decent cameras on them these days. Just don’t forget to snap as many pictures as you can (they are great for sharing on Facebook and Twitter too).

Have you got any suggestions? What are some of the tactics you have used to get the most out of your Foursquare experience?

Foursquare is one of the most exciting social networks around these days. Twitter and Facebook may still have a huge lead in this business but Foursquare offers something different. It provides a platform for local businesses and individuals to connect. The service can encourage people to check out more businesses in their local area. It can also make it easier for people to connect with their online connections in real life.

Mastering Foursquare can take a bit of time and effort. If you have never tried Foursquare, here are a few simple ways to get started with it:

Complete your profile: before doing anything on Foursquare, you want to make sure you complete your profile and get it ready for prime-time. As a highly private person, I do not like sharing my phone number or e-mail address with anyone but some folks do. You should link your Twitter and Facebook accounts to Foursquare. Just watch out for what you choose to share on those sites.

Acquire friends: Foursquare is a social network. You won’t be having a whole lot of fun if you tackle it all by yourself. If you have friends and real connections on Facebook and Twitter who are present on Foursquare, you are already a step ahead. You do want to make sure you add people who you really know. This is not a MySpace type community where you can add everyone under the sun and get away with it.

Provide tips: so you don’t have too many check-ins on your account? Maybe you have visited local business in your area in the past and can provide useful tips to others. That’s one way to get something out of Foursquare even if you don’t have the time to explore new local businesses in your area on a frequent basis.

Take advantage of apps: Foursquare apps can make your experience on this website even more fun. Foursquare has a number of website tools, plugins, and games for members to take advantage of to fully integrate Foursquare into their daily lives.

Follow and connect: in order to get the most out of Foursquare, you will need to be active. Doing check-ins on a consistent basis is one way to gather points. You should also follow brands and keep an eye on local businesses in your area. Have a business of your own? There is no reason not to bring it to the Foursquare world. Foursquare’s mobile tools should also help you get more out of your experience on this site.

What are your suggestions for those just getting started on Foursquare?