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Within the last few years, personalization has become a higher priority in marketing efforts, as many customers expect it on some level nowadays. In fact, a 2021 report from Mckinsey & Company found that 78% of consumers are more likely to purchase from a brand more than once if they personalize their marketing efforts. They also found in that same study that 70% of consumers not only expect personalization but are also frustrated when they don’t find it. As a result, 62% of consumers in 2022 reported a brand would lose their loyalty if they don’t get a personalized experience, an increase of 17% according to Twilio’s 2022 State of Personalization Report.

It could be as simple as referring to users’ first names in an email or customer support call or as complicated as targeting and retargeting users that would most likely be interested in what you have to offer them based on their search history. For companies with physical storefronts, one personalization marketing effort could include location-based marketing. As the name suggests, location-based marketing targets potential customers based on their physical location to capture potential customers at the right place at the right time with the right message.

Types of Location-Based Marketing

There are five different types of location-based marketing:

1. Geotargeting

Geotargeting targets users based on IP addresses, usually connected to a potential customer’s mobile device. The most popular example is Google’s search results. For example, if you search for “grocery store”, Google will use your device’s IP address to show you results of grocery stores currently near you. 

2. Geofencing

Instead of IP addresses, geofencing uses GPS technology to target users. Once a target customer crosses a pre-defined border, they receive a message via a text message or push notification on their device. This is an ideal method for advertisers looking to target people in a specific area in real-time, getting potential customers right when it matters. 

3. Beaconing

This approach uses beacons, or radio transmitters that emit signals towards a specific position. Advertisers place these beacons in a specific spot to connect with devices connected to Bluetooth or Wi-Fi to target users. Once these users enter a designated area, it’ll signal to the beacon and users will get an in-app or email notification. Unlike geofencing, users have to opt-in and enable Bluetooth for advertisers to send content to their device, which personalizes the experience for users while also respecting their potential privacy concerns. 

4. Mobile Targeting

Mobile targeting refers to ad platforms like Google Ads that let advertisers target users directly based on their mobile devices. While Google Ads can target users based on a variety of different devices, including desktop, tablet, or mobile, we’ve found that mobile users generally make up a large portion of overall users on Google’s display network.

5. Geoconquesting

Geo-conquesting, while it uses GPS technology like geofencing, aims at diverting potential customers from your competitors. It works just like geofencing except instead of creating a border around your storefront, geo-conquesting consists of setting up a perimeter around your competitor’s location.

For example, Burger King used this method to their advantage in 2018 when they promoted their app to people who were within 600 feet of a McDonald’s store. For those customers, Burger King not only promoted their app, but also advertised a limited offer for a one-cent Whopper. 

For businesses, especially those with physical locations, looking to further personalize their marketing efforts, you may want to look into location-based marketing tactics. And for those looking for more digital marketing help, we have plenty of experts who’d be happy to help!

Pacific Software Publishing, Inc. 1404 140th Place N.E., Bellevue, WA 98007

PSPINC Creates Tools For Your Business

Pacific Software Publishing, Inc. is headquartered in Bellevue, Washington and provides domain, web, and email hosting to more than 40,000 companies of all sizes around the world. We design and develop our own software and are committed to helping businesses of all sizes grow and thrive online. For more information you can contact us at 800-232-3989, by email at info@pspinc.com or visit us online at https://www.pspinc.com.

The biggest ad network today on a global scale is Google, which makes sense because it’s also the most popular search engine. But the fact that the Google Display Network (Google’s advertising network) reaches over 90% of worldwide internet users isn’t the only reason advertisers love it so much. It’s also the fact that Google Ads can fit with almost any budget. And Google specifically designed its algorithm to help marketers accomplish their marketing objectives.

For a small business, Google Ads is arguably the best way to increase brand awareness. Google’s Display Network reaches over one billion users every month, which is a testament to how much potential reach your ads could have. An effective Google ad campaign is highly dependent on two things: overall budget and effective ad copy and graphics. But striking the right balance between the two isn’t a skill every small business owner has. That’s why we offer marketing services to those who could use a little more help with their marketing strategy. And that, of course, includes helping you create an effective paid ad campaign on Google.

Pacific Software Publishing, Inc. 1404 140th Place N.E., Bellevue, WA 98007

PSPINC Creates Tools For Your Business

Pacific Software Publishing, Inc. is headquartered in Bellevue, Washington and provides domain, web, and email hosting to more than 40,000 companies of all sizes around the world. We design and develop our own software and are committed to helping businesses of all sizes grow and thrive online. For more information you can contact us at 800-232-3989, by email at info@pspinc.com or visit us online at https://www.pspinc.com.

Within the last few years, QR (quick response) codes have become more popular, serving as a contactless, and therefore, sanitary, way of providing customers with information in person. A QR code is a graphical representation of digital data like a barcode. However, the difference between the two is that people can use a smartphone to scan QR codes because most have a QR reader built in.

Engineer Masahiro Hara first invented QR codes in 1994 to track vehicles and assembly line parts, but they didn’t become popular until the invention of smartphones. But even then, users still had to download an app to scan the QR code, crippling its adoption. Then, there was another surge in 2017 when Apple integrated a QR reader into their phones, and other smartphone companies followed suit. But that also died out shortly afterward. Then, the popularity of QR codes returned in 2020 amidst the Covid-19 pandemic.

Marketing with QR Codes

One of the most popular use cases involves companies marketing their business with QR codes. For businesses with physical locations, QR codes bridge the gap between digital and non-digital marketing efforts. Not to mention, they’re generally free or inexpensive and easy to use. With QR codes, marketing to customers in person becomes much easier to track and measure. Some marketing examples of QR codes in use include:

• QR code menus. They lead users to digital menus online, providing a touchless option for health-conscious restaurant-goers.

• Business cards with QR codes. They quickly guide users to someone’s website, online portfolio, or social media pages.

• Retail store signage encourages shoppers on the go to check out your loyalty programs, review storefronts and overall customer experiences, or view online catalogs when pieces go out of stock or are no longer available in store.

• Museum, library, and/or park brochures. They provide visitors with additional information on displays and exhibits.

• Audio QR codes. They help brands personalize their messaging on product packaging or greeting cards.

Pacific Software Publishing, Inc. 1404 140th Place N.E., Bellevue, WA 98007

PSPINC Creates Tools For Your Business

Pacific Software Publishing, Inc. is headquartered in Bellevue, Washington and provides domain, web, and email hosting to more than 40,000 companies of all sizes around the world. We design and develop our own software and are committed to helping businesses of all sizes grow and thrive online. For more information you can contact us at 800-232-3989, by email at info@pspinc.com or visit us online at https://www.pspinc.com.

One of the easiest ways to increase visibility online as a small business is through paid ads. As we’ve mentioned before, organic social posts have a limited reach. One of the easiest and most affordable paid advertising options is Facebook ads.

Facebook makes it easy for marketers to create and run ads. After logging into Facebook, you’ll find the Meta (Facebook’s parent company) Business Suite on the left navigation bar, which is where you’ll be able to set up, monitor, and review your Facebook Ads. After opening Meta Business Suite, you can start by clicking on Ads on the left-hand side after selecting the Facebook page you’d like to run ads from. Then, click on Create Ad in the top-right corner. From there, you have three different options:

From There, You Can:

Create Automated Ads

Facebook offers this option to make it easier for beginners, as it adjusts over time based on its algorithm. However, automated ads don't give marketers as much control over their ads to make them as specific as they might like them to be.

Boost Existing Content

If you already have a well-performing social post on either Facebook on Instagram, this option lets you boost that post. Boosting essentially helps that post be seen by more people, increasing the likelihood that users will take whatever action you'd like them to, whether it's engaging with the post or clicking on a link.

Start a New Ad Campaign

This option lets you choose a specific goal that you'd like your marketing campaign to accomplish. To start, you'll choose a goal, which could be: 

     ·         Getting more website visitors.

     ·         Promoting your post.

     ·         Promoting your business locally.

     ·         Getting more leads.

     ·         Getting more messages.

From there, you'll input the information to create the ad, which could include targeting options, ad copy, images, ad scheduling and duration, placements, and payment information. Then, clicking on "Promote now" will start your ad campaign.

Monitor Your Ads

After setting up your ad campaign, you can continually monitor it as it runs as well as after it ends. To see how your ads are performing, check Ads Summary, which is the default screen you'll see when clicking on Ads on the left navigation bar. From there, you'll see the Advertising Summary, Recent ads, Recommendations, and Audience sections.

The Advertising Summary shows you:

• Overall reach: the number of people who saw your ad. This, however, doesn’t include multiple views from the same people.

• Post engagement: the number of engagements people made involving your ad. This could include liking, commenting, sharing, or clicking on the link included in your ad.

• Link clicks: the number of clicks your ad received.

• Page likes: the number of likes your Facebook page gained because of your ad.

Recent ads will show you your most recent ad campaigns, with the option to view all ads if you’d like to see how a past ad performed. Recommendations, as the name suggests, show suggestions Facebook recommends to help you improve your overall ads. And lastly, Audience gives you more insight into your audience, i.e. your Facebook page followers and those who interacted with your past posts and/or ads. That information includes demographic data like age, gender, and location as well as where your ads were placed.

Pacific Software Publishing, Inc. 1404 140th Place N.E., Bellevue, WA 98007

PSPINC Creates Tools For Your Business

Pacific Software Publishing, Inc. is headquartered in Bellevue, Washington and provides domain, web, and email hosting to more than 40,000 companies of all sizes around the world. We design and develop our own software and are committed to helping businesses of all sizes grow and thrive online. For more information you can contact us at 800-232-3989, by email at info@pspinc.com or visit us online at https://www.pspinc.com.

Why Your Business Needs Both

Pacific Software Publishing, Inc. 1404 140th Place N.E., Bellevue, WA 98007

PSPINC Creates Tools For Your Business

Pacific Software Publishing, Inc. is headquartered in Bellevue, Washington and provides domain, web, and email hosting to more than 40,000 companies of all sizes around the world. We design and develop our own software and are committed to helping businesses of all sizes grow and thrive online. For more information you can contact us at 800-232-3989, by email at info@pspinc.com or visit us online at https://www.pspinc.com.