Do you run a BuddyPress website and want to add a check-in feature? Check-ins have become genuinely popular, letting users share where they are, what they’re doing, and when.
Here’s how to add a check-in feature to your BuddyPress-powered community.
Benefits of a BuddyPress Check-In Feature
A user checks in to a place by selecting the check-in option on their social network, usually from a mobile device for more accurate location data.
On a BuddyPress site, letting members post their activity with an exact location attached does more than look nice, it genuinely lifts engagement and can bring in more traffic. It also gives members a natural way to talk about a specific place, and lets their friends in the community see where they currently are and what they’re up to.
Check-ins can help your community in a few concrete ways:
1. Improved member interactivity
2. Improved member retention
3. Increased traffic
4. New audiences to reach
5. Word-of-mouth marketingHow To Add Moderation Features To Your BuddyPress Community Website
Adding a Check-In Option in BuddyPress
Let’s add check-ins to your BuddyPress site using the BP Check-ins plugin, a dedicated, free add-on from the WordPress repository.
With it installed, members can check in right from a post update, adding a place on a map the same way they would on Facebook.
First, install and activate the BP Check-ins plugin. Once it’s active, go to Dashboard > BP Checkins > Settings.
You’ll find a handful of options to configure under General Settings:
- API Key: Your API key for the Google Maps location feature.
- Check-In By: Choose whether members check in via location autocomplete or by place type.
- Range: Set how wide an area to search when fetching nearby places.
- Place Types: If you’re checking in by place type, choose which types get fetched. More detail is available here.
Using Check-Ins on the Frontend
Once settings are saved, the check-in option shows up whenever a member updates their post. With location autocomplete on, they just start typing and pick from the suggested locations.
With place type selected instead, members get suggestions for nearby places they can pick as their location.
That’s it. Much like Facebook, this plugin lets members attach a location to their activity updates, and it’s genuinely simple to set up.
Interesting Read:
