Location services company CloudMade has released an API that maks it easy to integrate Facebook Places check-ins on a CloudMade map, and is inviting developers to use the code as a base to innovate with location-based social media, to increase usage of their apps.

Facebook Places is Facebook’s recently-launched check-in service that enables Facebook users to discover moments when they and their friends are at the same place at the same time. It can now be quickly integrated into any type of web app, using CloudMade’s Web Maps API.

The code can be implemented in a number of different ways: for example, in a bar or restaurant finder website to immediately see where your friends are give the user the ability to quickly navigate to them using a map. Other examples might include websites where the brand wants to include a travel diary element to promote interesting places to visit by inviting friends to check-in when they wish to recommend a particular place, such as a hotel, city or even golf course.

“We’ve released this code to show developers how easy it is to get social media with location working on their websites,” says CloudMade co-founder and head of products, Nick Black. “By integrating Facebook Places with their web apps, developers can now tap into the largest social network on the planet, and bring that excitement into their apps to dramatically increase usage.”

Developers can view sample code here.