Mobile location advertisers need to be pretty spot-on when it comes not just to location, but also to the consumer being targeted.
It’s a matter of some concern, since 80 percent of marketers worldwide now use location targeting for mobile advertising, according to May 2015 polling by xAd.
“When xAd asked agency and brand marketers who used mobile location-targeted ad campaigns how they did so, respondents from both groups were most likely to say they leveraged the tactic to target a specific audience,” according to eMarketer. “Targeting consumers around businesses or points of interest ranked second among both groups — with agencies much more enthusiastic than brands about this option.”
Sending location-relevant messages in general, without such targeting, was much less popular, ranking third.
Naturally, challenges remain. xAd’s survey of brands and agencies showed they don’t spend more on mobile location-based advertising due to issues with success measurement.
“Campaign performance and data accuracy challenges could prevent marketers from determining whether or not they’re indeed reaching the right audiences with the optimal messages,” noted eMarketer.
Local mobile ad dollars are being spent, though. An April BIA/Kelsey report estimated that U.S. mobile location-targeted ad spending would rise 56 percent this year, though it’s a smaller share of total mobile dollars, at 37 percent.
BIA/Kelsey forecasts that mobile location-targeted ads will continue to grow through at least 2019, when investments could reach $18.2 billion.