As of 2019, there are an estimated 2.5 billion smartphone users in the world. It should come as no surprise that China, India, and the United States form the top three countries with the highest number of smartphone users in the world.
So, personalizing your marketing strategy to reach your on-the-go target market is more critical now than ever before. How can you stand out from your competitors to reach your shoppers at the right place AND the right time?
Location, Location, Location
No longer a mantra solely for real estate agents, anyone with something to sell online needs to pay attention to location. In marketing, it’s sometimes the make or break point for engaging potential or repeat customers.
Whether you’re new to e-commerce or not, geolocation marketing is an essential tool that you must learn to wield. To take your business to the next level, geolocation marketing needs to be used correctly and often.
What is Geolocation Marketing Anyway?
In a nutshell, location-based marketing refers to making use of a shopper’s physical location as a means to push relevant messaging. This real-time data typically uses a shopper’s mobile phone or any internet-connected device to estimate their location with the help of GPS satellites. By taking advantage of a shopper’s physical location, businesses can almost guarantee that an interested shopper will receive the messaging they’re serving up. Or better yet, one who is willing to purchase relevant products or services.
The Great Debate: Geofencing Versus Geotargeting
In its purest form, geotargeting means that a shopper’s actual physical location is leveraged to deliver ads or other relevant content.
A great example of this would be the paid ads that pop up in your timeline on social media platforms. This is how local businesses can snag local customers through paid search campaigns.
Geofencing, however, is a bit more complicated. Geofencing works like a digital fence, hence the name. Businesses can target a potential customer in a few ways with geofencing. By setting up a digital perimeter within a certain distance from a specific location, push notifications will then be sent over WIFI to customers as they cross the perimeter.
An example of geofencing is when a shopper uses a third-party app like Ibotta while shopping inside their local grocery store. If the shopper has “opted-in” to push notifications and if they have their GPS-enabled, they would receive push notifications for featured products or services thanks to a geofencing campaign.
Okay, Great. But How Does Geolocation Marketing Work for My Business?
Geolocation marketing is the new “it term” in the marketing world for a good reason! Discovering what this location-based marketing can do for you and your business is essential to adopting it as a marketing strategy for your company.
One of the essential benefits that geolocation data can provide? Shopper data. Which in the marketing world is better than gold!
In an age where shoppers are stingier with their personal data than anything else, doling out exclusive deals or membership perks will allow your business to collect data from local customers. Not only will you have customer data at the ready, but your shoppers also get something back, turning them into loyal customers. Win-win!
Adding geolocation marketing to your social advertising strategy could completely change the game for your business if done correctly. By reaching your target audience at the opportune time, you’re upping your chances of turning marketing dollars into repeat sales.
Moose May at Your Service
Here at Moose May, we dedicate ourselves to helping you and your business succeed. We love to stay on top of any online marketing strategies that may help our clients in the online marketplace. Reach out to us today to see how we can partner with you to craft an online marketing strategy that’s perfect for your company!