The immediate post-pandemic pipeline revolved around the digital sphere and organizations’ online presence. However, with significant shutdowns and quarantine procedures in the rearview mirror, business events and networking opportunities have returned in earnest. Public sector conferences with speakers and government contractors now occur face-to-face. These trends are restoring the value of location-based marketing tactics: geotargeting, geofencing, and geoframing. If your organization wishes to reach event attendees while they are at a location or after they leave it, it can incorporate these strategies and speak to its desired audience.
Reach out to KME.digital for these advertising opportunities. Our team of marketing professionals and technical savants provides high-impact digital services, including SEO, social media, retargeting campaigns, UX design, ad creation, and more. We’ve transformed organizations throughout Northern Virginia into successful ventures with growing customer bases. For more information or support with your digital marketing, visit our website or call (703) 585-3321.
What are Geotargeting, Geofencing, and Geoframing?
Location-based advertising strategies fall under the broader programmatic advertising label. Yet specific to these techniques is the emphasis on a targeted locale in the digital marketing domain. Such an approach can help businesses reach a different cross-section of consumers than conventional PPC advertising and retargeting campaigns.
Although similar in concept, geotargeting and geofencing have a crucial distinction. Geotargeting involves focusing on users within a defined geographic location—such as a neighborhood or venue—and refining that focus based on users’ behavior and other factors. On the other hand, geofencing foregoes users’ behaviors and other factors to focus on a location-based audience. You can think of the geofenced area as surrounded by a virtual barrier.
Geofencing allows for hyperlocal targeting and ad delivery. However, this strategy’s efficacy depends on individuals using a device in the defined location. Marketers who wish to extend their reach beyond that window can use geoframing, which targets audiences once they depart a targeted area. Thus, a concert-goer who leaves a venue and uses their phone that night would be the target audience.
Location Marketing Meets Public Sector Demands
Quarantine procedures and shutdowns deprived location-based digital marketing of its efficacy. Nevertheless, the cessation of virtual-only interactions provides organizations an excellent opportunity to re-examine the value of such strategies. Government contractors and organizations, for instance, have particular demands that location marketing can meet:
- Targeted messaging
Distinct from retail or attraction-based industries, public sector marketing aims at professionals in the field alone. It avoids seeking non-specialists in favor of a well-defined audience, such as subject matter experts. Thus, effective advertising in this vein depends on targeted messaging.
This consideration elevates the utility of location-based marketing tactics. While some media outlets and online tools offer great exposure to government contractors, geofencing and geoframing can reach those outside the outlets’ and tools’ scope.
For example, a software development company could use location marketing for its product at a professional public sector conference. Individuals outside the field are unlikely to attend such an event, yet abundant specialists will. Moreover, the company can use geofencing in the moment and geoframing after attendees depart the location to advertise. - Privacy
Public sector professionals must also consider privacy concerns, especially those who handle sensitive details. Many may wish to refrain from sharing the location data geotargeting, geofencing, and geoframing use. These marketing techniques allow such parties an opt-out option.
Additionally, the data of any party that does opt-in is anonymized and aggregated with that of others. Advertisers use that information to target audience groups rather than individuals. On top of these measures, organizations such as the Network Advertising Initiative create and uphold consumer protections. - Availability and cost
Those worried about the availability or price of location marketing services need not fear: neither concern presents a significant obstacle for novices or seasoned users. Facebook and Google offer straightforward geotargeting tools for all their PPC users, plus geotargeting resources to help newcomers get started.
These campaign tools also have competitive pricing models: CPM (Cost per Mille, or 1000 impressions) and CPV (Cost per Visit). These approaches, again, support small businesses through innovative tools.
A Case Study
Recently, KME designed and ran a geoframing campaign for a management and training company seeking federal government employees. The target location was the National Contract Management Association’s (NCMA) World Congress 2022, which a significant population of their audience attended. The company’s well-placed campaign won hundreds of clicks and impressions from attendees at NCMA’s event, building brand awareness among its target audience.
Although those individuals may not seek services immediately, they may very well do so weeks or months later. Moreover, this outcome emphasizes the value of a location-based marketing campaign. Organizations that capitalize on events or locations frequented by their target audience can earn both visibility and potential customers.
KME.digital: Applying Location-Based Marketing to Enhance Results
While the digital sphere continues to fulfill a critical business role, traditional face-to-face interactions have resumed prominence. Govcons need a digital marketing strategy that can respond to these concomitant demands. KME.digital delivers for both channels through PPC management, retargeting campaigns, and location-based marketing tactics like geofencing and geoframing. Our B2G experts can help you to incorporate strategies that support in-person and online acquisition and management. For more information or an online digital evaluation, visit our website or call (703) 585-3321.