What is Proximity Based Marketing?

As mobile continues to hit the mainstream, our approaches to information discovery are rapidly evolving along with our buying habits. A recent study conducted by IDC Research and YP found that only 36% of online desktop and mobile users initiated a local business search on a traditional search engine. Moreover, approximately 80% of study participants said they own smartphones, a figure which roughly mirrors overall US smartphone penetration.

Today’s smartphone-toting consumers are relying on new ways to find local businesses, which may include recommendations from social networks, customer reviews social-local apps like Yelp, retargeted ads from business websites previously visited, and increasingly, opt-in push notifications containing mobile coupons and promotions triggered by beacons and geofences from nearby businesses.

Welcome to the new era of proximity based marketing.

Proximity Based Marketing Defined

Proximity based marketing (aka proximity marketing) is a catch-all term used to describe any use of location technologies to directly communicate with customers through their mobile devices. Importantly, this communication is not limited to smartphones— it applies to any GPS or Bluetooth-enabled device (i.e. laptop, tablet, even some feature phones).

Anchored in a recognition of the mobile-centric browsing and buying habits of today’s digitally adept consumer, proximity based marketing is all about serving up marketing solutions that are contextually relevant, multi-dimensional, and personalized. It seeks to blur the lines between the physical and digital world to create truly seamless user experiences that provide relevance and value.

In this way, proximity based marketing represents the next iteration of digital marketing in general, and inbound marketing in particular.

Popular Techniques

As just noted, proximity based marketing is all about relevance and value. The goal is to connect with nearby prospects and consumers to provide relevant, targeted coupons, promotions, and other offers that are considered valuable enough to ultimately drive conversion actions. The following popular techniques promise to do just that.

• Geofencing
• Beacons
• Social Check-Ins
• Retargeting

Story published: http://www.socialmediatoday.com/marketing/what-proximity-based-marketing?sthash.13BHGjXT.mjjo

Published: February 05, 2016 By Chris Horton