One of the biggest trends I’ve seen is the atomization of web sites, where pieces of the site can be compartmentalized and experienced away from the site, be it on social networks, widgets or mobile. The “build it and they will come” mentality is shifting towards a “build it where they are” philosophy.
Much like the real estate industry, location is becoming the thing when it comes to reaching customers and closing the marketing loop. Companies like Twitter, Foursquare, Gowalla and now Facebook are rushing in to gather even more data about their users, valuable data that provides even more insight into consumer behavior, weaving in sentiment with activity and location.
As consumers everywhere migrate their digital lives to their mobile devices, marketers are rushing to develop the newest frontier of customer engagement. It’s important to recognize that where consumers engage with you matters as much as the content you’re providing; it’s no longer sufficient to simply offer the same thing in dumbed-down format for mobile. With the rapid growth of increasingly capable devices like Android and iPhone, coupled with new formats like the iPad, consumers are expecting an optimized experience that makes sense and makes it worth the effort (and battery consumption).
- Make it relevant. I’ve seen so many brands hop onto the mobile app bandwagon without a compelling brand experience. Quite often, it’s simply rehashing the same web content and repurposing it for mobile. Yelp’s iPhone application is brilliant in utility, taking full advantage of location services even going so far as to providing an augmented reality view of nearby Yelp-rated establishments.
- Empathize with your customer. Whenever possible, make an effort to understand if someone is making a big commitment to visit your store or event vs. one who is casually passing by. It’s kind of like acknowledging out-of-town guests at a wedding or event; a small token of recognition is appreciated. If you know how far they’re traveling to engage with you, take that into consideration when you do meet up in person. It’ll also help you tailor the value exchange they expect from you.
- Complement, don’t compete. Have you seen those audio guides at museums? They are designed to give you background and detail that you wouldn’t normally get just looking at a piece of art. The same applies for location services. Design them in a way that complement the experience but doesn’t detract if you don’t use it. If what you offer is compelling enough, people will use it and often request it. The American Museum of Natural History is taking the guide concept to the next level with its GPS-enabled iPhone app, giving visitors the ability to create custom tours and turn-by-turn instructions.
The promise of location-based marketing is not about bombarding consumers with offers as they walk along a street full of retailers. Short-term discount-based offers are one way to get started and to attract new customers; but beware, there will always be a lower-priced competitor. I suggest using location to learn more about consumers’ behaviors and giving them smart options that extend the value of your products and services. Make it useful and they’ll be on the lookout for you.
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