Yelp check-ins in the new iPhone app update is going to be huge.

Yelp already has a ton of users but this will definitely spur growth. People love checking in and feeling part of something.

With their check-ins, Yelp is instituting the concept of regulars and the one with the most posts. They are also instituting a leaderboard. These are things that have made Foursquare and Gowalla so popular. I imagine that the Yelp check-in functionality will continue to expand and mirror some of the additional features of the other platforms.

With the check-in feature, this will give social media enthusiasts another reason to give Yelp a shot.

Yelp already has a ton of people reviewing. As social media enthusiasts give Yelp a try, they will find a ton of features in the platform that they will like.

• Friending
• Complimenting
• Messaging
• Fanning
• Tips
• Photos
• Funny/Useful/Cool
• First to review (FTR)
• Review of the date (ROTD)
• Integration w/Twitter
• Integration w/Facebook

While I’m already a fan of Yelp (I like the features of the platform and have met a ton of killer people through their events), I think this will embed the service even more in my regular routine.

from chrisly’s posterous