The Pokémon Go craze has hit around and in my home with my teenager on Twitter for tips and cheats. According to SimilarWeb, more than 60% of US users who have downloaded the app use it daily, and SimilarWeb estimates Pokémon GO’s daily active users count will surpass Twitter‘s. There are many articles on how companies can capitalize on the trend as Pokémon GO players are highly engaged spending more time in the app then with Instagram and Snapchat. Nintendo has not yet come out with in-game advertising opportunities but that is not stopping some opportunistic small businesses from engaging with customers through the game. Previous augmented reality (AR) offers from Google and Yelp did not get much traction with small businesses. For a small business owner understanding this trend and using it to market to customers can be daunting. Most small businesses don’t understand augmented reality (AR), and the task of understanding what a Pokéstop or Pokégym is, the benefits, and how to purchase lures to make your location desirable to Pokémons (and customers playing the game) can be daunting. In our Local Commerce Monitor™ survey of small businesses, 71% of small businesses say they use targeted advertising occasionally and frequently. Small businesses understand targeting and companies that wish to capitalize on the Pokémon Go popularity should focus on explaining to small businesses how to use location targeted advertising to drive customers into stores and the benefits of targeting, whether it be Pokémon Go lures or beacons or mobile/social ads. As with any social marketing, being authentic and adding to the fun of the game is key but it takes creativity.
