Commentary

Will Millennial Moms Accept Location-Based Marketing?

A year ago, inMarket reported that 38% of millennial moms, about 3.4 million of the approximately 9 million Millennial moms, are taking advantage of location-based marketing while they are shopping. These Millennial moms are always on the go, with their smartphones in one hand and balancing a baby on a hip. I recently spoke with Andrea McFarling, director of marketing at Adlucent, a digital advertising and intelligence agency that focuses on paid search, including mobile and location-based marketing, for retailers.

“The use of beacon technology is a great example of how many companies are finding success with location-based contact,” said McFarling. “Macy’s uses Shopkick, which sends shoppers who have opted into communications from the retailer push messages such as style tips and coupons when they’re near or in a store. RiteAid also rolled out beacon technology to 1,400 of its stores through inMarket, which gave the company access to its 42 million subscribers as well as their own app users. RiteAid now has valuable data about consumer shopping behaviors that allows them to push messages in real-time to those in stores. 

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McFarling also explained that, ultimately, a retailer’s ability to reach moms doesn’t rely solely on location data. “Retailers can use social, behavioral, and past purchase data to reach moms on a variety of other channels, from mailing coupons that directs her to a nearby store, to serving her a relevant offer on a social site like Facebook,” she added.” 

Here are five ways brands can customize the brand experience for mom by using location-based technology. 

1. Personalized messaging.
Beacon technology can help store associates deliver personalized messages to moms while they are shopping in stores. For example, instead of saying, “Hi, can I help you find something?” a store associate could say, “Hi Andrea. Can I help you find a new jogging stroller today?”

2. Curbside convenience.
Often, Millennial moms are faced with running into a store with a carload of kids. Much like curbside product delivery, to help make mom’s life a bit easier,location-based technology would let a store associate know when mom is pulling up, so she could meet her directly at the car to handle product returns or exchanges.

3. In-store sales assistance.
Retailers can also use apps to personalize and improve the shopping experience, helping moms find the products they were looking at online by directing them to the exact location in a nearby store.

4. Easy access to in-store product reviews.
While not specifically location-based, retailer apps enable moms to scan items with their smartphones or tablets to view product reviews in real-time.

5. Deliver relevant inventory advertising.
As McFarling explained during our conversation, two major home goods retailers Adlucent works with use Local Inventory Ads to capture shoppers searching online for items that can be found in nearby stores. For example, a mom that is browsing the internet for children’s hooded bath towels can see location and inventory information for local stores, so she can pick them up while she’s out; or, the ads provide options to buy online if that’s more convenient for her. Across Adlucent’s client, they’ve seen a 5% higher average click-through rate (CTR) and a four times greater return on ad spend for Local inventory Ads.

What is key when it comes to location based targeting and delivering the right content to her?

According to McFarling, “There are a few things brands can do to personalize the shopping experience and make it as easy as possible for moms. [First], make the checkout process--whether online or in a store--as seamless as possible. [And] include product reviews when you can. In a recent national survey Adlucent conducted, 52% of consumers said ads that incorporate reviews are more compelling.”

1 comment about "Will Millennial Moms Accept Location-Based Marketing?".
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  1. Devika Girish from MobStac, May 26, 2016 at 2:23 a.m.

    You said it right, Holly. Location-based marketing tech, particularly beacons hold great potential when it comes to marketing to millennials. And  with Millennial customers being an enormous commercial force to reckon with given their tremendous spending power and trendsetting power, brands that get it right faster will clearly have an edge over their competitors. Here are some of the best beacon marketing campaigns of 2016 that retailers could take inspiration from:


    http://blog.beaconstac.com/2016/05/top-5-beacon-campaigns-of-2016-so-far/

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