{"id":30264,"date":"2013-02-25T15:31:29","date_gmt":"2013-02-25T15:31:29","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/brandignitybeta.com\/demo\/brandlatest\/2013\/02\/25\/whos-checking-in-the-future-of-location-based-marketing\/"},"modified":"2013-02-25T15:31:29","modified_gmt":"2013-02-25T15:31:29","slug":"whos-checking-in-the-future-of-location-based-marketing","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/brandignitybeta.com\/demo\/brandlatest\/whos-checking-in-the-future-of-location-based-marketing\/","title":{"rendered":"Who\u2019s Checking In: The Future of Location-based Marketing"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"Location<\/a><\/p>\n

At one time, location-based technology was arguably the hottest trend in the digital world next to mobile and social media. A couple of years later, and the entire landscape has undergone a dramatic shift. Once promising destinations such as Gowalla, Loopt, and Whrrl have dissolved into acquisition, leaving Foursquare as the lone pioneer standing. Of course some competitors have managed to stick around, but the struggles endured by web giants the likes of Facebook suggest that this channel isn\u2019t necessarily a synch to successfully break into.<\/p>\n

Regardless of who winds up on the top of the pile, the future of location-based marketing<\/a> looks very bright. How can I be so sure? Well nothing\u2019s for certain, but the ongoing proliferation of smartphones will continue to drive several trends, and this one is as primed as any.<\/p>\n

Mobile Fueling Local Data<\/h3>\n

Data from comScore revealed that the number of smartphone users topped 100 million last January. A survey conducted by Princeton Survey Research Associates reveals that 74% of smartphone owners use their devices to acquire real-time location-based data, while 18% use a service like Foursquare to check-in.<\/p>\n

The aforementioned statistics are an indication that the potential in the location-based game hasn\u2019t waned, by actually increased. Savvy marketers would be wise to devise strategies that enable the mobile population to use these services to locate information regarding their products, services, and brands. Here are a few best practices to adopt.<\/p>\n

Use a Good Geo Platform<\/h3>\n

There are several location-based platforms, but Foursquare is the top dog for a reason. In addition to the impressive user activity, this site is particularly beneficial to marketers because it costs nothing to use. You can create a listing for your business, connect with your local audience, and even access a ton of resources that explain how to get the most from the platform. As you usual, you want to follow your audience, and your chances of being able to connect with a good portion of it are very high here.<\/p>\n

Mobilize Your Website<\/h3>\n

The one huge factor that often gets overlooked for location-based marketing is the importance of having a mobile-friendly website. Being able to tap into a rich source of data gives you the ability to reach customers and prospects while they\u2019re out and about anywhere. It would be a shame if they come to your website ready to engage and you greet them with a horrible mobile experience. There it is again \u2014 yet another reason to stop procrastinating with your mobile presence.<\/p>\n

Localize Your SEO Efforts<\/h3>\n

There are plenty of things you can do to add a local component to SEO strategy. Following is a whole list of them:<\/p>\n