Pokémon Go – A Local Marketing Tool
Okay I know, I know – you and the rest of the non-Pokémon loving world are sick and tired of hearing about this Pokémon Go nonsense. However, before you click that back button, give me a chance to explain how it has the potential of becoming the largest local marketing tool and ad platform marketers have ever seen. Yes, bigger than Facebook, AdWords, Snapchat, etc.… What other app actively gets people (even lazy people) out the door and in front of your business without it being the person’s intent, like Pokémon Go does? None that I know of. The following are ways Pokémon Go can become the largest local marketing tool and ad platform in 2016.
IMPRESSIONS, IMPRESSIONS, & MORE IMPRESSIONS:
With over 30 million daily active users and the average Pokémon Master hopeful spending over 43 minutes a day on the app (almost more than Instagram and Snapchat combined), there are a ton of eyes to get in front of. It’s only a matter of time until Google and Niantic implement something along the creative lines of what is depicted below. These ads can be geo-targeted, only showing businesses within specified Kilometers from a gym or pokéstop.
POKESTOP AND GYM PLACEMENTS:
Pokéstops and Gyms attract people from all around the city and speaking from personal experience, I have purposely chosen to go to bars like Monkey Paw Brewing, simply because it’s a gym. Come on, what’s better than being able to eat and drink all while taking down and defending a gym on Team Mystic’s behalf? That’s right, nothing! Again, it’s only a matter of time before Google and Niantic get smart and allow businesses to pay to be a gym. Pokéstops and Gym optimization may also become a thing – See the example below!
FLASH SALE OPPORTUNITIES:
Savvy sales opportunities are endless! You can make it as simple as telling your social followers “Catch a Pokémon in our store, and get 20% off your purchase!” or as complex as “Parties of 2 or more Team Mystic members get a buy one get one beverage!” (Just shooting out some testable ideas here) Also, if your business is already a pokéstop, you can do something like, “Get an egg at our pokéstops and get 50% off an appetizer.” I know I would frequent that pokéstop in hopes of snagging that 50% off egg!
As you can see, Pokémon Go is bursting at the seams with local marketing potential and I wouldn’t put it past all parties involved to capitalize this on these revenue-driven ideas. It’s only a matter of time till marketing agencies in San Diego like NDMR start offering Pokémon Go ad and optimization management.
