Foursquare adds list search to make its app more useful, as Google prepares its rival

Google Maps is preparing to roll out a list-making feature that lets you star places, favorite places, and make bucket lists. That has led Foursquare to now respond by making its own lists feature more useful. The company announced this morning it’s introducing a new way to seek out lists on its app, through the launch of list search.

This is a surprisingly late addition for the local discovery app, given how useful it is to be able to tap into the collective knowledge of the service’s users. But Foursquare’s strategy has always been somewhat mystifying, ever since the company decided to blow up its application and turn its business into two separate apps, a city guide and a social network.

That move did not pan out well for its social app Swarm, which has continually fallen in the top charts, and now is lowly ranked in the 280’s in the Social Networking category on iTunes, and in the 330’s on Google Play.

Nevertheless, Foursquare’s flagship app is still hanging in there, remaining a top 50 app in the Food & Drink category on both the App Store and Google Play. And with the launch of List Search, it could potentially become more useful.

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According to the company, you’ll now be able to search for the best lists in your area, created by brands and individuals alike. That could include lists with a narrow focus, like a one that details where to find the best tacos, for example, or those that offer broader insight into an area, like an insider’s guide to a neighborhood.

The company is kicking off list search’s debut with a selection of lists from brands like Bon Appetit, PureWow, and others, including those it built in-house. This includes a state-by-state guide to America’s best pizza, a list of the best new restaurants in the U.S., and a list of the top 50 cocktail bars, to name a few.

To access the new feature, you just tap on the list tab in the mobile application, then search for a keyword or brand.