MARKETING
Importance of location
What are your co-ordinates? Savvy marketers have spent a great deal of time and effort on digital marketing and social media over the past couple of years, but many are now integrating an additional platform known as location-based marketing, says Abbas Alidina, Founder and Director, Logicks.com.
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ith more than four billion mobile phones around the world and mobile device penetration rates above 200% in numerous countries across the Middle East, we are surrounded by opportunities for location-based marketing.
The always on digital consumers are connected to the Internet around the clock, whether they are working, shopping or eating. This article outlines six ways to leverage location-based marketing for your business. Mobile-friendly Websites Is your Website mobile friendly? As the growth of Internet usage on mobile outpaces that of desktop, chances are more people will browse your website from a mobile device rather than from a laptop or desktop computer. Someone who is browsing your Website from a mobile device may not have the same intention as someone who is browsing your Website from a laptop. For instance, when I am at home, I might visit the Website of my bank to pay my utility bills. However, when I am outside my home, I might use my mobile phone to visit the same Website to find the closest branch along with their hours of operation.
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FourSquare According to data from Google, the most popular activity for mobile Internet users in the Middle East is social networking. Leveraging social networks for location-based marketing allows your business to tap into the conversations and networking that occurs on the social web. FourSquare is one example of a mobile social network that enables users to ‘check in’ to stores, restaurants, offices, events and many other places. When a user checks in to a place, FourSquare updates all of their friends on the social network. It is also based on a concept known as Gamification, where users can unlock badges by performing specific activities such as checking in the same place three times in one week or checking in at a venue simultaneously with 50 other people. FourSquare has proven to be an effective marketing tool for businesses that rely on footfall to their venue, such as restaurants or retail shops.
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Mobile users usually have unique requirements. Unfortunately, the majority of Websites are still designed for laptops or desktops with no consideration for mobile users. Businesses must develop mobile friendly versions of their Website to ensure that they display correctly on a mobile phone (such as an iPhone or a BlackBerry) as well as a tablet device (such as an iPad or an Android tablet). There is an opportunity to deliver an enhanced user experience to customers by simply performing adequate research on the behaviour and habits of your mobile consumers.
SME ADVISOR MIDDLE EAST NOVEMBER 2011
Customised mobile applications Businesses have an opportunity to provide their customers with a more enhanced experience by developing mobile applications. A mobile application is a software programme that is downloaded onto a phone. Users can download mobile applications from the Apple
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