Let’s dive deeper into the location opt-in workflow…

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3) In-App Data Collection

App developers will be required to list the data they collect about users which includes a high-level overview of how it accesses, uses, and shares app user data. It’s also important to note that this information is self-reported by the app developer and displayed in the App Store Connect.

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On February 19th, Android announced it will be following Apple’s footsteps to provide a one-time permission opt-in for location, along with other changes related to background location. 

The goal of these changes is to provide consumers with greater control and transparency over how their data is being used and ensure apps are providing a clear value exchange.

With that said, there are several things app owners and developers should keep in mind related to this update.

What’s New With Android 11?

1. App users will have the option to select ‘Only This Time’
   
2. The Google Play Store will require developers to obtain prior approval to access location data in the background. Factors include:
   • Does the feature deliver clear value to the user?
   • Would users expect the app to access their location in the background?
   • Is the feature important to the primary purpose of the app?
   • Can the experience be delivered without accessing location in the background?

It’s still unclear if this only applies to Android 11 devices or if it will be enforced on devices running older versions of the OS. However, come November 2nd of this year, a review of each app’s permissions will be required even if the application was already in the Play Store. 

What Does This Mean for App Owners?

With these expected new changes, it will be critical to clearly communicate the value of location-based services in a way that resonates with users. 

There are several ways to do this:

• Be specific about the wording that will appear in your location prompts to ensure it is accurate, transparent, and clearly communicates the value of location services 
• Highlight the benefits (in the app) that require location services, i.e. in-store mode, and direct the user to update their location permissions in the privacy section of their device 
• Aside from location-opt in, it will be critical for app owners to review privacy best practices, ensure disclosure of why location data is being collected, and have updated privacy policies in place

Location services have always been about providing better customer experiences. Whether it be to fulfill use cases like Buy Online, Pick-Up In Store (BOPIS) or reward consumers for in-store shopping via timely offers and promotions, location will continue to be a large part of an app owner’s digital marketing strategy. 

Gimbal will continue to test beta releases and stay ahead of major industry changes with the intent to always provide clear and consistent communication to customers. For any questions around Android 11 as they relate to the Gimbal SDK and/or location permissions, please contact support@gimbal.com.

The post What to Expect With Android 11 Location Permissions appeared first on Infillion.

An Engaging, Revenue Generating Solution

Beacons are predicted to be fundamental to the revenue growth strategy of companies looking to drive unique and engaging experiences offline. As a recent CMO article discusses, Tony Fross, VP of the Digital Advisory Service at Capgemini Consulting, states: “Beacons are the most powerful weapon in the marketing arsenal for understanding consumers in the physical world. They should be in every marketing leader’s toolkit.”

Surely, you (as a buyer) already know this and have spent months considering the positive impact that beacons and other location-sensing solutions can have on your business – increase in-store purchases, app downloads, and conversion rates along with the ability to understand the real-world path to purchase like never before. However, outside of determining what beacon solution you want to utilize, it’s important to put yourself in the shoes of your customer so your beacon deployment can be appropriate to the use cases you foresee. Once you’ve done this, where you place your beacons will become clear and you will avoid the common misstep of placing your beacons in ineffective locations.

Placement Based on Use Case

As innovators and leaders in the location space, we work closely with our clients to ensure that beacon placement is appropriate to support the ideal experience throughout the customer’s journey. First, there are some general tips that those deploying need to understand. It’s important to think about where the experience will begin from a physical location perspective. If your plan is to address potential customers walking by your store, as well as those visiting your store, you will want to plan for this in your beacon placement strategy. One of the unique capabilities of our beacons and overall platform is that a single beacon can be used for different places within the physical world and to segment accordingly.

Now that you’ve defined the ideal customer experience within your physical world, it’s important to consider scale and efficiency. Cost efficiency, time constraints, complexity of use your use cases all matter when it comes to deciding whether you will need a skilled install or whether you already have the staff and resources to do it yourself. For example, if you have common small store footprints, this may be something that store managers can handle with minimal direction; however, if you are looking to instrument a stadium, a staff of personnel may be required. If additional staff is required, budgeting must also be augmented to fit this additional cost.

Set Your Program Up for Success

Another thing to consider, aside from the logistics of implementation, are the success metrics around your beacon use cases and the data required to understand ‘success.’ Focus on your business objectives, rather than how many beacons you ultimately deploy. You can learn more about that, here.

Better understanding path-to-purchase (path analysis), where your users spend most of their time and for how long, along with unique visitor counts are all metrics that Gimbal provides, along with easy integrations into other important business systems, like your analytics provider, to prove beacon value and tie it to the metrics that matter most for your business. After all, without proof of success, beacons are nothing more then a proof of concept.

Have more in-depth questions regarding a current or potential use cases of your own? Feel free to reach out to our team of experts and we will help you get started.

The post Beacon Placement Best Practices appeared first on Infillion.

When utilizing location-based marketing solutions to improve customer experiences in stadiums, venues and brick-and-mortar retail environments, the goal should not be to send notifications to a user’s device, but instead to proactively provide the content they are likely interested in to make their experience at your physical site more intuitive and convenient. This concept describes the holy grail of customer experiences, and is the mindset someone should have when trying to leverage Gimbal’s platform successfully.

Picture this: you walk into a bar prior to attending your favorite football team’s final playoff game and you use your TouchTunes™ app to play your favorite song on their electronic jukebox. Simultaneously, the bartender gets a notification that you’ve arrived and prepares your favorite order and your digital payment is seamlessly triggered. As you leave the bar, your Uber™ app automatically requests a ride and your driver quickly arrives to take you to the stadium. As you near the location, your digital ticket appears on your mobile device, keeping you from fumbling in your bag looking for a ticket. You enter the stadium then receive a 10% off your next purchase at the fan store near your seats. You purchase your home team’s memorabilia and once again pay on the fly via digital payment. The list of possible experiences goes on and on, but the takeaway is that location-triggered experiences and engagements can be used in a wide variety of use cases and are only limited by your imagination.

While the tools to view live events and experiences remotely have improved (e.g., your 50” plasma TV), it is hard to rival a real-world experience that is enhanced with digital technologies. How do you pull fans/customers from their comfortable couches and into the physical world? The answer is a location-aware mobile experience that provides a unique journey to a fan traveling through your physical environment.

A better customer experience triggered by location can equate to many positive impacts for your business. In one example, location-specific offers were shown to have fast results (since they happen when and where it matters), with a recent MediaPost article stating that on mobile, “the majority (65%) of customers redeem an offer within five minutes of seeing it.”

In addition to shortening coupon redemption times and increasing conversion rates, location-based marketing solutions can also help you learn more about your customers and gain insights (analytics) which measure the success and impact of your real-world campaigns. This can help you achieve measurable business objectives like increasing frequency of visits, higher basket sizes, larger order size, and more engaged mobile app users. All of which marketers can use to reward loyal customers, and ultimately drive revenue.

Location-based marketing and the technologies that make it possible should be viewed as tools to enhance the user experience as your customers move through the physical world and your locations, similar to how marketers and businesses have tried to optimize web-based, digital experiences. Doing so correctly not only creates a new high conversion channel to engage customers, but also allows you to optimize and increase the lifetime value of your customers. Things every business can be excited about!

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