If you have a brick-and-mortar business, then geomarketing should be an important part of your marketing strategy. Learn the basics with our guide.
There are an estimated 3 billion smartphone users around the globe. Within the coming years, that number is expected to climb by almost 10 per cent.
To stay competitive, you’ll want to start focusing your marketing efforts on an increasingly mobile audience. That means leveraging location-based marketing, or geomarketing.
Curious to see how it can benefit your business? Then keep reading!
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Define your audience
One of the biggest mistakes rookie marketers make is attempting to draw in too wide of an audience. Your best bet is to focus on reaching the types of people who already have an interest in your business.
Therefore, it’s important to carefully consider your audience before investing in marketing services.
Who, specifically, is your business targeted toward? What types of advertisements resonate with them?
The more information you have, the more effective your marketing campaign can be.
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Utilize geofencing
Geofencing is one of the best geomarketing tools out there. Note that geofencing isn’t necessarily the same thing as geomarketing.
Geomarketing is the process of targeting an audience within a specific area. Geofencing defines those physical areas, almost like an invisible fence.
Using geofencing marketing is an effective means of collecting customer data, as well, since it’s predicated on users’ IP addresses.
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Make your ads irresistible
At the end of the day, your marketing plan can only be as good as your ads. Simply serving up an ad isn’t always enough to get a customer interested in your business.
You’ll need to present a unique proposition. Time and incentives are two great ways to attract customers.
Say you’re spending time at a local mall when you see a banner ad pop up on your favorite mobile app. It tells you that the store a few feet away is having a sale…but only for the next 90 minutes.
Because of the time-sensitive nature, you might find yourself more likely to visit the store.
Now assume that same ad says that if you mention the blurb while checking out, you’ll get a 20% discount. Suddenly, you have an incentive to check out the store.
Never underestimate these seemingly simple factors. FOMO and a good deal are often too hard to pass up.
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Don’t forget about repeat customers
As you begin serving up ads, don’t forget to give a little something to your already loyal customer base. After all, it’s far cheaper to keep an existing customer than bring in a new one.
Sending discounts and special offers through geo advertising is a great way to get former customers to return.
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Think about your parameters
Geomarketing is extremely customizable. You’ll be able to target customers within a block, a mile, or even an entire city in some cases.
As you start to mull over your new campaign, think about how you plan to utilize these digital parameters, as there are unique advantages to all of your options.
Targeting a smaller area, for instance, might introduce your business to fewer people. However, since that local audience is closer to your brick-and-mortar location, they might be more likely to visit than a customer 20 minutes away.
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Grow your business through geomarketing
Remember, smartphone usage will only increase in the coming years. The sooner you prepare for a mobile audience, the better.
For more information on growing your business, make sure to check back with our blog.
