There is no denying that mobile devices have exploded in popularity, and now over 50% of all searches and computing is happening on mobile devices. With this explosion of mobile internet, location marketing is on the verge of becoming one of the cornerstones for everything marketing.
The growth and importance of location data, mixed with the explosion of mobile, means local marketing will become a basis for all marketing.
1. It’s All About Location
It used to be routine that the location data for a business (address, name, phone number, etc.) was used as very general source of information. Nowadays brands and businesses are beginning to understand the importance of location data and its relationship to the growing mobile wave.
Businesses now have a vital aspect that cannot be overlooked: ensuring that their location and data is available through online searches, multiple platforms, and other major publishers. Something as simple as your business not appearing through an online search for local stores, could mean the downfall of your brand.
A recent study discovered that brands that enhanced the precision and reach quality of their location data by just 20 percent, experienced a jumps of up to 450 percent to their location pages, and on-page action conversion jumps of up to 216 percent.
2. Google’s Growing Local Search
Google has recently added local searches to their recent Search Quality Ratings Guidelines, and also released a Google My Business API, making local search a high priority for Google.
The decrease of local business data from Google+ is a sign of change when dealing with local search for Google.
3. Mobile Wallets
With more than half of customers saving an offer to a mobile wallet when offered, mobile wallets are steadily becoming more popular, and will pay a big roll in future local marketing.
With this growing popularity of such things like Apple Play and similar applications, mobile wallet offers are a great tool to increase foot traffic and offer deals based on mobile location searches. Loyalty programs, coupons, and mass transit can all be taken advantage of thanks to mobile wallets working along with local search.
4. Utilizing Apps
Such apps like Pinterest, Snapchat and Periscope are increasingly being used by brands to advertise and direct market. The great thing about utilizing some of the mentioned apps is that brands can use them for national campaigns, or can get as targeted as they want, right down to a specific local level.
To succeed with such apps, businesses must carefully organize their location data, and ensure it is available to all users, and all platforms.
