A major trend in digital marketing that we haven’t talked about much before is location-based marketing. This type of marketing can help you target the right customers for your business more precisely, and save you from wasting valuable dollars on marketing to the wrong people. Read on to learn more about location-based marketing, and contact us today to find out how we can help your business make use of these technologies to reach new audiences.
Location-Based Marketing, Defined
Before we get into too many of the intricacies and details, we’ll start by laying out what location-based marketing actually is. It is, essentially, what it sounds like. It is a form of marketing that targets an audience based on their location. Location is usually determined by GPS data from people’s mobile devices. As a business, you can use these methods to target those who are currently in a given area, who reside in the area, or who have recently or previously been to the area.
It is not a new concept that a business might want to target consumers in a specific area, whether that be a state, city, neighborhood, or any other region. Location-based marketing just provides more precise and advanced ways of reaching the specific audience a business would like to reach. It can be much more accurate and effective than other methods of trying to reach people in a given area.
Businesses That Can Benefit From Location-Based Marketing
There are a wide range of companies that could, and should, employ location-based marketing practices. Pretty much any business that has a customer-facing brick and mortar location would be a prime candidate for this form of marketing. From retail stores to restaurants to auto mechanics to hair salons and spas, location-based marketing provides great benefits for any business that wants people to physically come through its doors. If your business relies heavily on foot traffic, particularly unplanned or unscheduled visits, this is a great way to contact an audience who is near you and encourage them to come in. Or, if you are a new business in the neighborhood, this can be a fantastic way to introduce yourself to the local audience and let them know you are here.
Using Location-Based Marketing
Below are just a few of the ways location-based marketing can be used, and how each can be beneficial to your business. This type of marketing offers much more refined ways to target customers based on location than general targeting through sites like Facebook or Google.
- Reach people currently in an area in real time
Location-based marketing can be one of the best ways to make a conversion now instead of later. You can target people who are currently within a certain radius of your business to encourage them to pay you a visit. For instance, a restaurant could employ these techniques in the late afternoon or early evening to convince hungry consumers nearby to come in for dinner.
- Reach people who are visiting your competitors
You can reach customers in very specific spots with location-based marketing. Your target area can be as narrow as within the walls of your competitors’ locations, to very specifically reach people who might be interested in your business. Furthermore, after targeting your audience, you can also track when they view your ad and if they then proceed to visit your business. All of this serves to make location-based marketing valuable beyond the capabilities of other types of targeted marketing.
- Reach people who frequent/live in a certain area
Maybe you don’t just want people to come to your business right now, but you want to run a longer-term campaign to gain customers. Use location-based marketing to market to all those who reside in or frequent the area in which you are located. This is a great way to reach people who are often nearby, and get on their radar. That way, the next time they need to buy a new car, pick up a last minute birthday gift, or grab a bite to eat, your business will be front of mind, and they will know you are nearby.
- Reach an entire area regardless of demographics
Making use of location-based marketing to reach local consumers regardless of demographic factors can be beneficial in a variety of situations. If you just recently opened your business, this would be a great way to let everyone in the neighborhood know that you have arrived, and tell them about what you offer. Maybe you own an auto shop-everyone’s cars break down or have issues from time to time. Or if you own a boutique that primarily sold women’s clothing before, but has recently expanded to men’s and children’s offerings as well, you would want to let people across genders and age ranges know. There is so much more to location-based marketing, and a nearly endless amount of ways it can be used to help your business. The above are just a few of the benefits of using location-based marketing. Learn more about some of the ways it can help you and your business on our website.
