“The transit marketing has always been one of our targets. The same advertising model has been in use for 100 years. We thought it was time for a major shift and a better way to serve the users of the systems.” Stated John Flynn, CEO of Copley Advertising.

Copley Advertising begins geofencing the platforms at 7 a.m. and ends at 10 a.m. Then, for the afternoon rush, we geofence the platforms from 4 p.m. to 7 p.m. We tag smartphones at their location and place ads on tagged smartphones. Once the tagged user sees the video ad, their ID is placed in an impression folder. If they engage with the ad, their ID will be placed in a retargeting folder.

When there is a critical mass of retargeting IDs, Copley Advertising will begin a retargeting program. The click rate for our retargeting program is 2X to 16X.

The IDs from the impressions can be loaded week to week as the new IDs come in. Past tracking has shown a 20% increase in click rate compared to regular campaigns.

The client can buy multiple cities, one market, or chose locations in one of the systems. This gives the client the freedom to drill down to the geo-target. The client can select an area during the a.m. rush where the demo lives, as well as the platform where they work in the afternoon.

While waiting for the train everyone is on their phone. The posters at each station are old, outdated and dirty. Out-of-home sellers are resorting to selling “geofencing” with their products because they are out of touch with the demo.

Beware! There is a big difference between buying a diamond from a jewelry store and getting a deal at a supermarket.

The Copley Advertising Mobile Transit Domination program is ground breaking as it brings together all our capabilities, giving clients the ability to reach the top five transit systems at a fraction of the cost of OOH. Or you can just by a billboard. When someone gets off their phone, they might look up.

In our video, “How Staples Can Make Back to School Last All Year”, Copley Advertising lays out our plan to make engage back to school shoppers all year long.

First, Staples needs to geofence all stores during the back to school season. They can run video ads on tagged devices showing the top-selling (profitable) items. When a tagged device user clicks on the ad, they are taken to a landing page with an additional video ad featuring a chance to win a Staples “Spring Break on Campus” event. It will include an opportunity to sign up to receive free coupons throughout the school year, important tips on what students need to kick off their new year, how to get the most out of your academic experience and a Spring Break contest in which customer can enter to win with friends and host on campus: Staples Spring Break!

So, what have we accomplished? First, we tagged all in-store devices and if the user has seen an ad (impression), we download their ID to a Google Sheet. Second, if the tagged device user clicks on the ad, Copley Advertising places their ID in a retargeting program where the user will be served new creative immediately for up to 30 days after they leave the location; this helps ensure they didn’t forget certain (highest profit margin) items. If the device user signs up for the email program, Staples can send them newsletters with study tips, information about how working out affects your grades, advice for on-campus relationships, and more. This will help to make Staples a trusted agent with their audience. Then, when the occasional ad for a sale item is pushed it would no big deal. Oh… and don’t forget the big countdown to the Staples Spring Break! The winner will be able to win a large bash featuring Staple’s products on campus. The extensive video will be used to promote products featured at the event and a new landing page will be created, introducing people to ways they could be next year’s winner. Content, engagement, value, and trust time and time again. With a few small steps, you can easily keep clients engaged with your products and programs, all year long.

And remember the list of IDs that is captured when the tagged user views the impression (ads) during the back to school rush? Copley Advertising can create a look-alike model based on the demographic characteristics from the list, and increase the total pool to 2% of the US population. Then, we can drill down to store location, age, gender, interests and other demographic qualifiers. A/B testing of market areas, creative or products is only a click away.

Copley Advertising is a mobile marketing ad agency: we only do mobile. Any questions, please email [email protected].

Off-Campus Housing properties need to fill beds. The competition is fierce. There seems to an insatiable appetite for newer and better. But if there was an ability to meet the short term goals of filling units and create a consist pool of would-be renters that would be an interesting model.

Mobile Marketing can deliver that model. Here are some key aspects that mobile marketing uses to create a campaign for off campus housing properties.

Video Ads – The rise of video ads continues. The price has dropped and video ads are more effective than banner ads.  Another important aspect is that they tell a story. Marketing is all about telling a story.  By delivering your commercial to the tagged smartphones you can bring your property to them before they visit you.

The first week can be an introduction video commercial the second week could be commercial inviting device users to an event at your property and so on. After the device owner clicks on the video they are brought to your landing page to see the conclusion of the presentation. Copley Advertising is offering a video commercial in each tagged smartphone on campus. All user data (engaged IDs) is stored for future retargeting.

Geo-Conquesting – Your best demographic is students living in other off-campus housing. Even if the property is not in the targeted demographic the results we have seen is that the click rate is still between 2x to 6x higher than the average campaign.  Plus delivering those impressions that engaged to the retargeting pool is key.

Data – Many mobile platforms ignore the data. Copley Advertising helps clients see that each target location has subtle differences. Drilling down to operation systems (Android or iOS), app placement (which apps are overperforming and which apps are underperforming) and creative A/B testing. This information changes from college to college.  It’s extremely important that the information from the data guide the campaign.  This will increase effectiveness and efficiency.

Mobile marketing is not about just geofencing. Copley Advertising has the tools and experience to put together a complete marketing program that will reach off-campus housing’s short term and long term needs.

Questions? info@copleyadvertising or (617) 651-2249.

As students thoughts turn to the new academic year, Higher Education Marketers naturally look for ways they can target college students and entice them to consider their campus for their courses. With smartphone usage becoming almost synonymous with students at nearly all levels of education, geofencing to target specific demographics such as student populations or specific student personas is a tactic that should be considered, especially by those with limited budgets.

The Numbers Stack Up

Considering that many college student’s lives revolve around their smartphones with over 6 out of 10 students claiming to regularly use apps for games (73%), music (67%), entertainment (64%) and social networking (64%), it is easy to see that college students are spending more of their time on mobile devices than ever before, and this is at the expense of computer access, TV’s, e-readers and handheld gaming devices.

Kristin Kollbaum director of marketing and communications at Northwest Iowa Community College saw these figures and decided to give geofencing a try to fill the newly created Certified Nursing Assistant (CNA) classes at the nearby Sioux Centre Hospital (SCH).

She began by setting up a geofence which targeted people within a 60-mile radius of SCH, ensuring that when people within this boundary went online they would be presented with ads about the CNA course and job placement.

With a small budget of just $1,200, Kollbaum achieved a 0.73% click through rate which resulted in 35 people attending an informal meeting about the course and two classes being run that year. A phenomenal effort for a small campaign and budget that was run in an area of low unemployment which typically made filling these positions a difficult task.

How to Leverage Mobile Targeting Capabilities to Reach Student Audiences

Geofencing is most definitely a game changer for Higher Education Marketers. By drawing virtual boundaries around physical areas and combining this technology with the layering of specific lists of websites relevant to apps which your target demographic are likely to use, marketers are able to build custom audience profiles and provide specific, targeted messages that are much more likely to be acted upon than more traditional forms of advertising and communication.

Serving ads or messages to students while they are at a specific location keeps your institution’s offerings well within reach and at the forefront of their mind when it comes to course applications. Just as we outlined in a previous post, secondary action – meaning people who take some sort of action after seeing an ad are more than twice as likely with geofencing, and students are no different.

Pinpoint the Students You Want

As colleges grow and almost resemble small cities with sports stadiums, shopping malls, and restaurants, it also becomes easier to target students with specific interests. The ability to geofence all or just part of a college campus such as the sports stadium or restaurant frequented by a particular set and couple that information with a list of websites, along with times that people are using that facility and a number of other variables, allows marketers to become very specific about who will be presented with their offer. It also allows you to reach out to your specific student personas with a ‘personal touch’ and gives you the ability to tap into what that individual may already be considering in terms of further education and present your institution as an option that should be considered.

By providing your college’s options to relevant students at the right time you’re increasing the prospective student’s trust in your organization and developing trust in your institution is certainly one of the first steps towards recruiting graduates. Furthermore, as Generation Z and Millennials have grown up as digital natives, many now have come to expect, even welcome, personalized and targeted campaigns, seeing these as an expression of a college’s willingness to put their individual needs and motivations as a priority.

With well over 86% of all students owning a smartphone and almost half owning a tablet, and these figures rising year on year, geofencing and specific, targeted campaigns that make the most of your student personas and dollars are certainly worth thinking about.

Copley Advertising has a team of geofencing experts who are able to help you create an effective campaign that targets the student personas identified by your institution. They can do all of the technical work for you and make the magic happen.  Have questions? [email protected]

Copley Advertising can tag all the smartphones at any event or concert.  Let’s say that the New York Knicks are playing at Madison Square Garden.  We would tag all the smartphones at the game.  An ad can be placed on each phone.  If the users clicks on the ad their ID is placed in a retargeting folder for future marketing.  We can also download all the device ID (owners that received an impression) and use the information for future campaigns.

Geofencing is highly targeted, and due to the lower CPC, the ROI of each marketing dollar spent is 2x to 5x greater than traditional marketing.  The key to location marketing is that you are reaching your demographic in a set area.  Copley Advertising can break down the demographic for any event.  If the event fits your buyer persona we can geofence the event.  You have now captured your customer and have the ability to continue to serve ads to them after the event is over and they returned home.  Copley Advertising can follow a sports team or music act across the country.  We are able to reach your demographic in each location.

Mobile marketing campaigns can be automated. The only variables that need to be entered are the location and date/time of the targeted event-goers.  Copley Advertising optimizes the campaign in real time.  We drill down to app placement, creative click thru, OS, and SSP networks.  As the campaign continues it becomes effective and efficient.

By mobile geofencing an event you can place offers that will drive ticket holders to your store or restaurant.  “Come after the game and get $5 off!”.   If the client geofences a team during every home game they will train the fans that their destination is a must after each game.  They become an important part of the event’s marketing without paying the huge event markup.  This is great news for national restaurant and bar chains that are near a stadium.

If you look at the crowd during a sporting event or concert you will see a sea of people on their smartphones.  Now imagine for a small marketing budget they are seeing your ad. You didn’t have to pay for the overpriced in-stadium signage.  And you can follow your demographic home and continue to deliver ads to them after the game.

Questions?  Copley Advertising, [email protected].  (617) 651-2249.

The mobile phones of users would be targeted when they enter the auto dealerships.  The customers will be informed of the top deals that they might have missed and special mobile offers. The sales team may not have enough manpower to attend to every single customer that walks in, but mobile geofencing ensures no customer is left without a pitch being made.

The most powerful program for auto dealers is geo-conquesting.  Copley Advertising can geofence all competing car dealerships and tag smartphones in the dealership.  As customers are on the smartphones they will see your ad.  Call to Action creative can include weekend only rebates and call before you buy.  Plus if the tagged user engages with the ad we can capture their ID and place it in our retargeting folder.

Marketing campaigns can also be launched to targeted neighborhoods that are within close proximity of the auto dealerships. A seven-mile geofence around each dealership is recomeneded as over 80% of the dealership customers live within seven miles of the dealership.

Geotargeting also allows a car dealership to target customers based on demographics. For example, used cars might be targeted to students living on a college campus, whereas family based neighborhood advertising an SUV might make more sense.

The targeted nature of geofencing allows car dealerships to place themselves on the map without putting a big dent in their spending budget.   Email us at [email protected] to learn more about Copley Advertising geofencing programs for car dealerships.

Have a Clear Call to Action

Location based advertising feeds impulsive decisions.  Your geofencing ads should, therefore, have a clear call to action. Someone who enters your chosen geofence and sees your ad should, for instance, be prompted to utilize a discount coupon at your booth. It’s about getting the user to make a clear decision related to your brand in the moment.

Don’t Bombard Users

Geofencing is location based. However, avoiding the temptation to bombard potential customers with redundant messages is crucial. For instance, someone who has already entered the geofenced area shouldn’t constantly receive the same message every time he or she reenters the area.  Using routing algorithms to help people who have seen your ad find the fastest route to your booth is your safest bet.

Use the Data

A myriad of consumer behaviors is captured by geofencing. Some of this data includes: where consumers spend the most time at the trade show, the aspects of your booth that generate the most interest, and the amount of foot traffic you’re actually getting.  Using this data wisely helps you make informed decisions.

Trade shows are often expensive investments. Geofencing is one strategy that you can use to maximize your ROI at trade shows. Having a clear call to action, avoiding redundancy, and using the data you receive wisely can help you make the best use of your geofencing campaign. Copley Advertising has a team of geofencing experts who can help you create the best geofencing campaign for your next trade show appearance. Email us at [email protected]

Now life is better. Granular data reporting shows the client a wide range of trackable parameters. Why is granular reporting so important?

Optimization – granular data will the show the DSP the areas where the bid amount or even blacklisting can dramatically increase click rate. As of late Copley Advertising has seen Android outperforming iOS click rate. If there’s a 20% differential between the Android and iOS click rate (after a significant amount of traffic) Copley Advertising will clone the original campaign and start an Android only campaign. If the Android only campaign is outperforming the original campaign we would start lowering the impressions per day restriction on the original campaign. You can do this with creative, network (Smaato, Mopub, Rubicon, and others), placement and other trackable breakouts. Not only can the campaign be optimized (higher click rate with lower cost) but you are now sitting on a ton of valuable data. Besides optimizing the campaign, tweaking the art and setting up clone campaigns what are you going to do with all that data?

Offline Marketing – You share it with the client! First clients love the data. I have not had a client yet not love to listen to me talk about interpreting the data from their campaign. Granular data is a great value add to the campaign. Second, it’s information that you can help the client decide on where to spend their offline marketing. Help them spend advertising money somewhere else? Yes. If you are running campaigns in Tampa, Miami and Orlando and Tampa is getting twice the click rate it’s a good bet that your client should be spending more of their offline budget in Tampa. This type of information makes the mobile geofencing campaign a great tool for targeting key demographics in a set time and place but also works as a guide to help the client decide where to spend their marketing dollars.

A campaign with a client needs to be a partnership. It’s your job to have your client’s back. Do whatever you can to make them look good. Once the client knows that you are a partner and not just a vendor your relationship will deepen and it will beneficial for both of you.

But….back to the point. In summary, it’s the data stupid…..collect it, interpret it and share it. It will separate you from the pack.

If you compare mobile advertising to newspaper, radio and out of home advertising the better outlet is clearly mobile. The three traditional outlets depend on collecting a huge amount of impression and hoping that the client’s demographic is in the mix. With mobile offering geotargeting, targeting by day and time, demographic and behavior targeting and being cheaper, the argument that mobile is a better media outlet is solid.

Recently retail accounts have been pushing for in-store traffic reporting. Changing the KPI to CPV (cost per visit). Programs like TrafficDrive (Copley Advertising) along with programs from NinthDecimal, Push Spring and Simpli.fi have the capability to track tagged smartphones back to the retail location.

Copley Advertising’s TrafficDrive program is unique. Copley Advertising will geofence retailer’s location. Tag smartphones in the geofence. The user doesn’t have to click on the ad. Once the user sees the ad the phone is retagged. Copley Advertising transforms the retailer into a Conversion Center. When then retagged user enters the Conversion Center their ID is counted. Copley Advertising can create a report showing store traffic directly generated by the mobile campaign.

The power of mobile continues to grow and the demands by clients are helping mobile DSPs to create programs to meet expectations. The great news is that mobile will continue to rise and meet different benchmarks for different sectors.

The biggest news was that mobile revenue was over $1 billion by the end of Black Friday. That was a 33% increase from last year.  The most optimistic projections had revenue over $1 billion by the end of Cyber Monday.

PayPal reported that one-third of all payments on Black Friday were from smartphones.

Walmart reported that on Black Friday 70% of their online traffic was mobile. Target stated on Black Friday 60% of their online traffic was mobile.

On Thanksgiving, mobile revenue accounted for 40% of all sales and 57% of traffic. (MediaPost)

Amazon reported that mobile revenue on Thanksgiving topped last year’s Cyber Monday.

A very impressive week for mobile commerce.    Companies will continue to develop their mobile commerce platform.  Mobile’s advantage is the online buying cycle.  The consumer already uses mobile first to compare prices and check reviews.  Companies need to take advantage of those habits and help the consumers take the next step.  Consumers have always been ahead of companies in the demand for easy to use mobile commerce platforms. Companies need to catch up to smartphone users requests for the simple reason there is over $1 billion on the table.