By Michael Barris, Staff Reporter for Mobile Marketer
Beacon networks Mobiquity and InMarket continue to experience growth as marketers increasingly leverage beacons’ ability to precisely target location-based mobile offers and messaging to consumers.
Mobiquity, which operates the world’s largest indoor shopping mall-based beacon advertising and app engagement network, is increasing its network footprint 17 percent to 240 United States shopping mall locations in the months to come. Meanwhile, inMarket’s beacon platform now reaches 18 percent of all U.S. mobile users, further attesting to how quickly beacons are gaining acceptance in the mobile-marketing pantheon.
“This is a significant expansion for our company because it provides advertisers with the potential to access tens of millions more consumers who have chosen to engage with top-notch brands via apps powered by Mobile Roadie,” said Jim Meckley, Mobiquity Networks’ chief marketing officer.
“Beacons have caught on because they enable retailers, brands and publishers to provide real value to consumers in a permission-based program.”
Relevant Apps
The statistics reflect how beacons allow retailers to reconnect with shoppers in-store on mobile.
inMarket, which reaches 31.5 million monthly active consumers, according to October data released by comScore, is reaching consumers through relevant shopping apps and improving the in-store experience. In July 2014, Hillshire Farm demonstrated a 20-times increase in purchase intent and positive ROI from sales lift in partnership with inMarket.
Increasing the network footprint 17 percent.
This holiday season, inMarket will influence $30.6 billion of shopper dollars via proximity marketing this holiday season, and an estimated $15 billion on Black Friday alone.
With 18 percent reach, inMarket’s shoppers will spend $336 billion over the next year.
Mobiquity’s network covers more than 3,000 unique retailers with more than 20,000 storefronts.
Its agreement with Mobile Roadie will give marketers the potential to reach millions of consumers who engage via mobile applications with brands such as the Wynn Las Vegas, Taylor Swift, the San Diego Zoo and the Dallas Mavericks.
The mobile user does not have to have the app open to receive beacon communications.
“In fact, if a consumer agreed to receive messages from a brand or retailer or publisher, he or she will get a local notification when in proximity of a beacon that has been associated with that particular app,” Mr. Meckley said.
“Then a brand or retailer can entice the shopper with an offer or other incentive to open the app, visit the store, and spend money there,” he said. “There is nothing else like it for getting in front of a consumer who may have been too busy or distracted to open a previously downloaded app.”
In an example of a potential customer journey in Simon Malls, which works with Mobiquity Networks, a customer who walks into a mall common area initiates the engagement process upon entering a beacon region.
Making contact with a mall entry beacon triggers customizable messaging, welcoming the customer to the mall, providing useful information or presenting an enticing offer.
Customized Content
Once engaged with the app, customers view a brand or retailer’s displayed campaign content. Content can be customized based on customer location, demographics or geo-behavioral attributes.
Specializing in relevant shopping apps.
As customers exit a store or mall area, beacon signals provide another opportunity for engagement that, when used appropriately, can increase shopper loyalty.
“Many beacon programs are retailer-specific,” Mr. Meckley said. “Very few are like Mobiquity Networks, which enable brands to reach consumers in common areas, effectively eliminating the requirement that consumers enter a particular store before they can be engaged.”
Final Take
Michael Barris is staff reporter for Mobile Marketer, New York.