Geofencing for Mobile Marketing

Geofencing is a powerful tool for mobile app marketers because it opens the door for location based messaging. Geofences are virtual perimeters that you can establish around any real-world location, and allow you to interact with mobile users when they enter/leave designated areas.

Who uses geofences?

Mobile app owners and marketers use geofencing to engage users with personalized messages in the form of location-based push notifications. Geofences allow brands to send notifications at the right place & the right time.

How do marketers use geofencing technology?

There are three main use cases of geofencing for mobile apps:

1) Location-based push notifications: Location-based push notifications are notifications that are triggered when a user enters/leaves a geofenced location. The goal is to connect brands to consumers and establish long-lasting relationships with app users by interacting with them when it’s most important, based on the user’s location.

2) User targeting: If you know a user frequently visits a specific location, you can personalize your mobile messaging and enhance the user experience by tailoring notifications to include user-relevant information.

3) Data Analysis: Understanding where a user goes or visits frequently is key to building a solid consumer profile. With geofences, you gain insights into a user’s location habits. Knowing when a user enters or exits a designated location – for example a baseball game – enables you to understand their unique interests and to tailor the app experience to match their desires. Relevant messaging is vital to increasing conversion rates.

Brands should establish geofences around locations where it makes sense to engage with or gain valuable insights about their audience. A few ideas to consider for geofences:

Brick & mortar locationsCompetitor locationsMajor events (sporting, concerts, road races, etc.)AirportsPublic places of interestBillboards or any locations where you’re doing physical advertising

When should marketers send push notifications?

It is important for marketers to send push notifications with one rule in mind – aim to add value. If you’re going to send a push notification when a user is in close proximity to your brick & mortar location, make sure it is relevant to them and not just a desperate plea for attention. Example push notification below:

How important is location based marketing to my mobile strategy?

With geofences, we’re finally realizing the promise of mobile. Mobile is inherently location-based, and geofences grant marketers the ability to connect with their users how and when they want – based off their location. Location based marketing is becoming increasingly more integral when engaging with users, and studies project it to expand in the coming years. Geofencing grants marketers the ability to easily implement location based marketing into their strategies.