Are you trying to decide what to incorporate in your digital marketing strategy for 2022? Do you have a good idea of who your ideal clients are and where they spend their time? Do you think delivering content to them based on these key considerations is an effective strategy? If so, then you need to consider adding geotargeting into your Omaha marketing plan.
What is geotargeting?
Geotargeting is a marketing strategy that allows you to deliver the right content to the right people based on their geographic location. Geotargeting uses the power of mobile devices to reach your ideal prospects with messages that are geared toward their behavior or place of residence.
Once a mobile user opts into location services—which the majority of smartphone owners do–marketers are able to target them for specific ad delivery. You can tell a lot about a person based on where they spend their time and all that information is available for your marketing purposes when you launch a geotargeting campaign. For example, is your ideal client a working mom with young children? Then you may want to geotarget childcare centers or parks. Do you work in specific neighborhoods? You can deliver your ads to all those who live in those areas.
What is the difference between geotargeting and geofencing?
Some marketing companies use the terms “geotargeting” and “geofencing” interchangeably—and for a reason. They are quite similar and have the same goals. However, there is a difference.
- Geotargeting drops a pin in a certain location (such as a store or the location of an event) and builds a radius around that pin. It targets an approximate area.
- Geofencing draws a virtual fence around an area based on longitude and latitude, such as a specific neighborhood or city. It targets an exact area.
In most cases, geofencing and geotargeting are done in two separate campaigns. However, they can be combined in certain cases to achieve your marketing goals.
How can you choose the right geotarget for your ideal client?
There are several ways you can choose the right geotarget or geofence for your online marketing campaign and an experienced Omaha marketing agency like Pixel Fire is happy to assist you. Here are some ideas:
- Geotarget an event, such as a trade show that your ideal clients will likely be attending. When you geotarget the event’s location, you can also target the surrounding area to catch those who are parked nearby or who are grabbing lunch at a restaurant by the event.
- Geofence a neighborhood. You can use these “digital doorhangers” to promote services like gutter cleaning, roofing, or other services that homeowners need. Geofencing a neighborhood is a great opportunity to reinforce a printed mailer you send out to the area or even replace the printed media altogether.
- Geotarget an area where your ideal clients regularly go, such as a shopping plaza or business district.. For example, if you are a handyman, you may want to geotarget a shopping area with a DIY store and deliver an ad that states, “Can’t install that product on your own? We can help.”
- Geofence a billboard that advertises your products or services. Once people drive by the billboard, they will be delivered ads to their mobile device that reinforces the message of the billboard.
How do know if geotargeting is right for you
As with any marketing campaign, geotargeting/fencing is not for everyone. Here are some considerations when making the decision of whether or not to incorporate them into your campaign:
- Budget. Geotargeting is highly effective, but it’s not the least expensive form of Omaha online marketing. The average monthly spend, which includes both ad spend and professional management costs, is $1250. This number can go up depending on how many campaigns you want to run and how many people you want to show your ads to.
- Knowledge of target market. If you haven’t narrowed down your niche and know who your target market is, geotargeting is not for you. Back up a bit and work with an experienced Omaha marketing agency who can help you determine your niche and narrow down who your ideal clients are and where they hang out. Our agency also has a variety of other targeting tactics that our experts can use to help strategize getting the right message to the right audience.
- Your other marketing efforts. Geofencing/targeting is not something that should be done in isolation. It pairs well with a campaign that gives your target market plenty of value (i.e. Engagement Equity), such as social media posting, blogging, or newsletters.
With the technology we all now have access to, it’s easier than ever to deliver the right message to the right prospect at the right time. If you’d like to consider adding one of these powerful marketing tools to your arsenal in 2022, please reach out. We’d love to help!
