Author: James Ewen

James is the head of marketing at Tamoco

Categories
Business

5 Great Ways to Use and Share Geospatial Data on Social Media

5 Great Ways to Use and Share Geospatial Data on Social Media

 

Most of the geospatial data use cases require showing data on a map. Whether you’re in business or not, chances are you’ve used geospatial data. Most of us who are always on our phones use this data on a daily basis. So, what does geospatial data entail?

In its most basic form, geospatial data is information that has a geographic aspect to it. If you’ve ever planned a road trip, searched for the closest hotel or pizza shop online, or even synced your location with your Facebook or Instagram posts, you’ve worked geospatial data.

Geospatial data, also known as geodata or spatial data, describe something with location data on it—address, city, ZIP code, latitude, etc. Whether it’s natural or man-made, if it can be drawn on a map, it’s geospatial.Geospatial data has many use cases. In this post, we’ll look into how you can use and share geospatial data on social media. 

Let’s dive in!

1. Exploring Undisclosed Spaces

Geospatial data helps us explore and understand the world, and it can help us discover uncharted territories. Caves and underground spaces, for example, can be difficult to spot and explore.

With geospatial data, you can create a photographic interpretation or a digital model of a location or space that has never been explored before. You can then use a collage maker to create a collage of breathtaking images based on geospatial data and share them on social media.

Hikers, explorers, mountain climbers, and archeologists use geospatial data to better understand hidden spaces on the earth’s surface.

2. Mapping

Mapping lays the foundation for using geospatial data.

Geospatial data is most commonly used in visualizing the area the data describes. Whether the data is about transportation routes, building footprints, or any other point of interest, a precisely-drawn map based on accurate location data can have a lot of uses in today’s world.

In the business world, geospatial mapping helps businesses achieve accurate location data to facilitate marketing and growth. 

The maps can show segments, such as the following.

  • Demographics of customers or prospects
  • The proximity of the proposed business to public utilities
  • Social economic backgrounds of the prospects (income, occupation, etc.)

Individuals can also use geospatial mapping to better understand a location. For example, travelers can use this data to know their way around a particular area.

3. Consumer Insights

Geospatial data can prove extremely helpful in providing you with consumer insights. These insights can give you an edge over the competition.

For example, you can look up the shops customers visit before or after they visit yours. To illustrate, suppose you run a spa-like business. You may notice that a lot of your customers go to the gym or yoga studios after leaving your business.

This might tell they’re either coming to cool down or fuel up after a workout. You can use this knowledge to cross-sell some of your offerings.

4. Urban Planning

Geospatial data is used in urban planning by allowing modeling and spatial analysis of urban environments. Getting all the required data for land maps, site selection, and planning applications can be challenging, and the data collection and quality are improved by advances in geospatial technology.

Using a moving vehicle, it’s easier to collect massive data sets about city blocks or large areas quickly and efficiently. This data can be used for urban growth, particularly in determining the right direction of expansion. When applied appropriately, geospatial data can help discover new sites for further development.

5. Logistics and Supply Chain

Logistics is a crucial component of supply chain management.

It encompasses many supply chain processes, including purchasing and delivering raw materials, packaging, warehousing, and shipping of products.

Effective transportation of products (finished goods) from one point to another is key to business success. And this is where geospatial data comes in. Organizations use effective geospatial mapping to optimize routes. Through this, businesses can accelerate delivery time, increasing customer satisfaction.

Moreover, geospatial data also provides visuals to be used by businesses to track their progress in defined geographical locations.

6. Analyzing Competition

A viable marketing strategy should provide insights into what the competition is doing.

In other words, you’ll need to conduct a competitor analysis. This may involve knowing who your competitors are, what they offer, how their products are priced, and what they’re planning to do. But how do you acquire this data? Geodata can help!

Geospatial data provides competitive intelligence to your business. It lets you see and know your geographical influence compared to your competitors.

Through this data, you can determine whether consumers are finding your business more accessible than others businesses around you.

Wrapping Up

Geospatial data is any data that has a geographic aspect to it. This data may be complex but has many uses, particularly for business owners. It can be used to explore undisclosed spaces, improve logistics and supply chain processes, provide competitive intelligence, and enhance urban planning.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Categories
Data

Ways Geospatial Analysis Can Help Solve Challenges in Education

Geospatial analysis is a powerful tool for visualizing and understanding geographic data. It enables us to make connections between different types of geographical information, such as population density, land use patterns and climate change. By applying statistical techniques to the data sets obtained from remote sensing platforms and terrestrial surveys, we can gain insights into how our planet works and uncover hidden trends in the environment. 

What can GIS be used for?

 

This knowledge can be used for a variety of applications, including urban planning, environmental protection, public health initiatives or resource management. Geospatial analysis also helps us gain a deeper understanding of natural disasters, such as floods or hurricanes, by providing an interactive way to study their effects on society at large. In fact, it’s a very common topic to study at universities. However, it’s quite complicated too. So if you were given an assignment on GIS and you need help with it, check the latest tech tools for students. For example, you can use a summary generator for essay that will reduce your time spent on writing. As a result, you will have a chance to spend more time reading about GIS than writing about it. 

 

In short, geospatial analysis provides a powerful means to better understand our world, helping us make more informed decisions about how to manage and protect it. 

What are the benefits of geospatial analysis?

 

Using geospatial data in analytics offers a variety of potential benefits, including improved accuracy and more in-depth insights. Geospatial data can be used to take into account the physical location of events or objects being studied in an analysis. Thus, it provides contextual information that is impossible to deduce from other kinds of data sources. 

 

Geospatial data can aid disaster relief efforts by allowing organizations to track the movement of people, supplies, or equipment in real-time. It can also provide valuable insight into traffic flow patterns and subtle environmental changes through satellite imagery. In addition, geospatial data can help companies better understand their customer base by mapping out where customers live and how they interact with the company’s products or services. 

Why GIS in education matters

 

GIS is an essential tool for understanding our constantly changing world. Through its mapping tools, GIS promotes spatial literacy: awareness of how physical and human phenomena are related to geography. This type of knowledge is increasingly necessary in today’s interconnected world, where decisions made in one location can have a global impact.

 

The use of GIS in education has been linked to improved academic performance, critical thinking skills, problem-solving abilities, and increased engagement with learning activities. Students who learn about geography through GIS experience more success on tests that measure their geographic knowledge. By combining complex data sets from different sources into interactive maps, students better understand the relationships between data points and gain valuable insights into the trends shaping our planet.

 

GIS also teaches students to look at data from multiple perspectives, encouraging them to think analytically and challenge assumptions. This type of critical thinking is essential for making informed decisions about the future of our planet. As GIS technology continues to evolve and expand, it will remain a vital tool for educating the next generation’s problem-solvers and innovators. GIS in education helps students develop the skills they need to become responsible global citizens who can make meaningful contributions to their communities and the world at large. 

 

By providing students with an understanding of geography and its related phenomena, GIS helps create an awareness of the role that physical location has on human behavior and decision-making processes. Students gain an appreciation for how the environment can influence our lives and how human actions can shape the earth’s future. As GIS continues to play an important role in education, its potential to inform and educate future generations is immense. In a rapidly changing world, GIS tools are essential for helping students understand their place in it.  With access to up-to-date datasets from around the globe, GIS provides invaluable insight into our planet’s current state as well as its possible futures. 

 

Therefore, GIS should be recognized for its importance in education and offered as part of any comprehensive geography curriculum. It is through this kind of instruction that students will gain the knowledge they need to make informed decisions about their own pathways and those of our ever-changing world. 

In conclusion 

 

Employing GIS in classrooms and other educational settings is an essential step towards equipping our students with the knowledge they need to make meaningful contributions to society. By leveraging GIS’s mapping tools, educators can provide students with a better understanding of spatial relationships and better equip them to tackle the challenges of tomorrow. Whether it be analyzing population trends or studying natural phenomena such as climate change, GIS provides a valuable platform for teaching students about their place on this planet and how their individual actions can have far-reaching impacts. 

Categories
Business

How Learning Institutions Make Use of Geospatial Data

Geospatial data statistically represents items and occurrences in a specific geographical location. The occurrences can either be induced by man or natural. The geographical information can cover maps, the interconnection of locations, and more. Collected data is instrumental in various ways, including facilitating pinpoint predictions and guiding insightful decision-making. Studying geospatial data for a prolonged duration makes one understand why things happen where and when. However, the question has always been how an educational institution benefits from this data type. Here are some common ways schools utilize geospatial data.

Tools like Google Maps operate under geospatial analysis, and they help individuals find the fastest route to their destination. Such tools help students stay punctual in school, especially the new ones who are yet to learn more about the school. These applications blend in the virtual and real world, making them interactive and easy to operate. They also create easy and safe routes that students can use to school.

Furthermore, they can be used to trace hard-to-find students. The geographical information system uses a data system that operates after data entry and analysis. Some geospatial apps even monitor one’s routine, making it easy for students to stay organized and keep time. Remember, time management is a serious issue among students, and improperly managing time is one reason students get overwhelmed with assignments and ask, “Should I pay someone to do my essay uk?”

Marking Remote Learning Attendance

Institutions are embracing remote learning, and there is a need to streamline this learning mode to match up to the seriousness of attending a physical class. Therefore, institutions utilize the GIS to ensure students attend lessons offered online. Through GIS, lecturers can locate all students. The system gives an accurate location of every student during class time so that the student does not lie about their whereabouts. Monitoring students’ attendance using this system improves their performance since they will not be missing out on important lessons.

Monitoring Professionals

Educational institutions also use GIS to locate their professionals offering various services. Both students and the administration can use the geospatial system to locate professional services around the school. Colleges are big, with many offices available; therefore, the geospatial system minimizes the need to physically locate a lecturer or any other employees around the school since one can use their phone or tablet to find an individual and their specific location. The administration can also use it to track whether professionals in the institution report to work and areas where service is needed by teachers or other employees within the school.

Learning Tool

The geographical information system plays a significant role in developing learning processes. It is particularly essential for those taking geography since the GIS can navigate the environment and present comprehensive details we cannot see. It is also instrumental in helping students locate some of the major landmarks taught in class. Also, the system allows teachers to choose the best field trip locations without physical inquiries.

Some lessons may require a teacher to guide students on different location-based events. For example, when giving a lesson on “myths about legends from Egypt,” the teacher can prepare for the lesson without necessarily making a trip to Egypt. The geographical information system also applies to other subjects like mathematics and physics. For example, an instructor can use the system when providing lessons on the square area of a particular place in or out of school.

Rating College Safety

The safety of students and staff within the confines of the institution is vital. It is possible to monitor the security of a place manually; however, with the GIS, it is much easier and accurate. It makes monitoring various security patterns in the school compound and noting any suspicious activities possible. The GIS plays a primary role in monitoring and giving an alert of any natural disasters that are likely to occur within the school compound. A geospatial system makes it possible to monitor the population in an institution, which is also among the ways schools can improve their safety since any strange movement can be noticed and dealt with early.

Promoting Project-Based Learning

Most learning institutions use geospatial data to promote project-based learning. The geographical information system allows students to frame, identify, and solve problems. It improves an individual’s problem-solving skills in matters involving natural hazards, energy, and other issues we experience within our location. Project-based learning means active participation, which is a way to keep students more involved in class projects and real-world issues. Students engaged in project-based learning become great scientists and decision-makers in the various careers they will pursue.

Community Connection

Schools use GIS to help students connect deeper with their surroundings. Through the GIS, students and their instructors can engage in local discussions and develop solutions to issues experienced in their area. They can also take part in local planning. For example, if most students use bikes to get to school, they can suggest the development of a new bike trail. GIS also helps students collect local data, meaning they cannot run short of data during exams or research projects.

Monitoring Infrastructure Development

Going around physically to monitor infrastructure development can be quite tasking. However, with the geographical information system, college administrations can monitor the development around the school by following up on the new and existing buildings that may need repair. They also follow up on the usage of this infrastructure.

Final Take

We cannot overstate the use of GIS in school settings, seeing as it has made some activities in educational institutions less tasking. Most institutions embrace the technology since it extends even to remote learning. Features such as Google Earth present an augmented reality that can be used for demonstrations for remote and physical learners.

The geospatial analysis technology is represented in applications such as Google Maps, Google Earth, Mergin Maps, and much more. These applications help the administration and students create the best routes around school, monitor infrastructure and professional services, promote project-based learning, and more. Geospatial technology has experienced robust growth across various industries, and its impact has also been felt in the educational sector.

Categories
Data

How Top Businesses are Using Geospatial Data in 2021

Uber, Google, Wendy’s, CDM Smith Inc, and Amazon – you couldn’t get a much more diverse set of organizations. A search engine, a fast-food chain, to an online retail store – these businesses might be diverse in terms of their operations, but they’re all linked by certain business practices. 

That is, these top business players all utilize geospatial data to optimize their operations for a healthier bottom line. In this article, you’ll discover what geospatial data is and how it’s used by these top 5 businesses to gain a competitive edge.

Ready?

Let’s jump straight to it.

 

What is geospatial data?

Geospatial data is also known as place-based or location-based data, such as longitudes, latitudes, stress addresses, and postal codes. Geospatial data analysis collects, displays, and manipulates GIS – Geographic Information System – data like imagery, satellite photographs, and historical data. The aim is to collect, store, retrieve, and display vast amounts of information in a spatial context.

For instance, can you imagine life without GPS?

In this vein, you’ll likely remember buying a paper map to plan your routes from one place to another. This system was slower, hard work, and vulnerable to human error. Today, geospatial data has been a game-changer when it comes to providing location/place-based information. Whether it’s MapQuest, Pokémon Go, Google Maps, or the in-dash car navigation system, everyday citizens use geospatial data more than they know. 

 

How do top businesses use geospatial data?

Just as we rely on geospatial information every day, leaders worldwide use geospatial data to guide them towards making the right decisions at the right time. With that said, let’s take a closer look at how Uber and other top businesses are using geospatial data to optimize their strategic decisions for efficient operations and sustained business growth.

 

Uber 

In 2019, Uber brought in $14.1 billion in revenue, showing exponential growth from 2013 (where revenue equals $0.1 billion). Founded in 2009 by Garrett Camp, the organization has since grown into a disruptive tycoon that’s ripped up the cab industry by storm. 

Central to its success comes geospatial technology. 

With the Uber app, the user can request a cab. This user’s location is then taken and matched with the closest driver. The driver accepts this match and is guided by applying it to the user’s location to transport the user to their chosen destination. This entire process draws from the application’s geospatial data. 

This isn’t the only way Uber uses geospatial data — there are countless others. For instance, the application identifies areas with the highest need for drivers and advises active drivers to be near those hotspots during high demand times. 

Without geospatial data, Uber would not be the business disruptor it is today.

 

Google 

Google is the goliath of the business world. In the third quarter of 2020, Google’s revenue amounted to $46.03 billion, up from $38 billion in the preceding quarter. Taking a good chunk out of this revenue comes from Google’s map application, which brings $4.3 billion a year.

Google maps has 154.4 million monthly unique users. And behind every map, there’s a much more complex system, the key to your queries but hidden from your view.

This more in-depth system contains the logic of places, all the left and right turns, freeway on-ramps, speed limits, traffic conditions, you name it. And to produce such a system, Google uses geospatial data provided by a third party to deliver digital maps and other dynamic content for navigation and location-based services.

 

Wendy’s

Square hamburgers, sea salt fries, and the addictive Frosty, this fast-food giant brought home $1.687 billion in revenue in 2020. 

What’s the secret to Wendy’s success?

I say geospatial data. 

Wendy’s carefully researches locations, leveraging mapping software and census data (population information). The fast-food chain searches for sites with a high population and potential customers and looks at household demographics, average income, and nearby businesses. 

But this analysis doesn’t stop when the right site has been found. Wendy’s continues to examine this geospatial data after construction at the given location. Before construction, prior construction results can then be compared to continuously tweak and improve their GIS analytics model and processes.

 

CDM Smith Inc

CDM Smith Inc is a global engineering and construction firm providing solutions in water, environment, transportation, energy, and other facilities. In 2015 the organization’s revenues totaled over $500 million, and one of the reasons for the success has been the organization’s use of geospatial data. 

That is, for CDM Smith Inc, geospatial data provides design and engineering capabilities to create plans, layouts, and maps. GIS applications for design and engineering make use of both imaging and planning functions. Such functions mean geospatial data is commonly used in industries such as landscape engineering, environmental restoration, commercial and residential construction, and development. CDM uses geospatial data for environmental engineering and remediation projects. 

 

Amazon

In 2019, the online retail platform, Amazon, reported a net income of $11.59 billion, up from a $10 billion U.S. net income in the previous year. To stay ahead of the curve, Amazon is always coming up with new and innovative ways of doing business. And one example is Amazon’s Prime Air drone project, expected to officially launch on August 31st, 2020.

By integrating GIS with Artificial Intelligence, it’s possible to fly drones over much larger distances than other previous attempts. Amazon has jumped on this bandwagon, delivering packages by drones. The aim is to deliver packages to customers in 30 minutes or less using unmanned aerial vehicles – drones – operational thanks to geospatial data.

 

Gain a competitive edge by using geospatial data

As technology advances, geospatial data is becoming more complex, with widening business potential. At the end of this article, we saw how Amazon is combining GIS software with Artificial Intelligence (drones) to expand the use of both. Does this represent the future of things to come regarding geospatial data?

Geospatial data analysis has the potential to: 

  • Match consumer demographic data with spatial information about the places they live 
  • Validate existing GIS data sets 
  • Monitor and report weather 
  • Survey habitats 
  • Model landscapes 
  • Assess disaster damage 

While these are just a few examples, by combining geospatial data with AI, the possibilities of its use are expanding. To grasp a competitive edge, and be a top player in the business arena, dig deep and see how you can leverage geospatial data technology for your business operations.

Categories
News

Tamoco joins the Google Cloud Partner Advantage Program and launches its Smart Visitation Data on Google Cloud Marketplace

  • Tamoco is one of the first geospatial companies to offer fully customizable visitation data on Google Cloud Marketplace
  • Google Cloud Marketplace enables joint customers of Tamoco and Google Cloud to explore, quickly access datasets and integrate them into their daily workflows.
  • Other Tamoco solutions include raw geospatial data and uplift analysis reporting
  • Tamoco is also joining the Google Cloud Partner Advantage Program.


Tamoco, a leader in geospatial powered intelligence, has announced the availability of its Smart Visitation Data on Google Cloud Marketplace. Google Cloud customers can now access powerful insights into venue visitation by accessing data in just a few clicks.
Tamoco’s Smart Visitation Data enables powerful insights into changing visitation trends, analysis into venue, brand, stock and category performance, and the ability to compare current visitation to historical trends.
This partnership will allow Google Cloud customers to easily integrate high-value geospatial visitation data in context within their analytics and workflows to more accurately connect the offline world to online studies of trends and patterns.
The availability of this dataset comes as a part of Tamoco joining the Google Cloud Partner Advantage program.
Sam Amrani, Founder & CEO, Tamoco:

“Offering Tamoco’s Smart Visitation Data on Google Cloud Marketplace is a huge step in our strategy of driving better accuracy and accessibility in the world of Geospatial. This partnership will facilitate even smarter use cases across multiple industries as Google Cloud customers look to innovate with Geospatial data.”

About Tamoco

Tamoco is an award-winning geospatial company that is making the power of location accessible for all. Its suite of location products solves problems across several industries such as marketing, advertising, real estate, and retail.

Its Smart Visitation Data leverages cutting-edge technology to verify visits in challenging-to-measure locations and uses ML to verify and filter incorrect data points for a more reliable and holistic view into consumer behaviour.

Categories
Data Retail

How Retailers Use Geospatial Data To Create Better Marketing Campaigns

If you’re a retailer, you know the importance of marketing your business digitally. You also know that your ability to effectively market to a consumer is what wins it for you. But, have you considered location-based marketing through geospatial data?

In this article, we are going to go over what geospatial data is, the benefits of utilizing geospatial data, and examples of retailers who use GIS for location-based marketing. 

First, let’s define geospatial data. What is it? 

 

What is Geospatial Data? 

Geospatial data is the use of technology, such as GPS, to create and store digital maps that help retailers better understand their customers. This information can be used to geotarget based on location and demographic information allowing marketers to create better-customized marketing campaigns in the long run.

The main use case for geospatial data is to segment audiences based on proximity to a location, but that’s not all it can do. Geospatial data can help you understand who your customers are, where they live, and how they spend their time outside of work hours — which can help you create marketing campaigns that drive results. 

Now that we went over the basics of what geospatial data is, we are know going to discuss some of its benefits as it relates to marketing. 

 

3 Benefits (and Examples) of Geospatial Data for Marketing

Did you know that 95% of executives across the globe believe that geospatial data is critical for achieving business success? Well, it’s true! Geospatial data is one factor that can really send your business over the edge allowing you to make better data-driven decisions for your overall business. This includes digital marketing as well. 

Still on the fence about marrying the concept of  GIS and marketing together? Here are three benefits of GIS marketing and examples of some of the top-name retailers who use GIS to improve their marketing efforts. 

 

Brings More Foot Traffic to Stores

Geospatial data is used to understand where shoppers are, where they’re going, and what they’re doing as they move around both inside and outside their stores. Retailers can then use this information to create tailored marketing campaigns that draw in more customers to their stores. In addition to this, geospatial data can also be used to keep customers in your stores longer.

 

Example: Sephora is Able to Better Segment Customers with Geospatial Data

Beauty retailer Sephora uses geospatial data to send its rewards members a pop-up notification anytime that a customer is in close proximity to one of its stores. The pop-up will generally have a marketing offer to come in for a “free mini makeover” making it almost too enticing to pass up — especially if they are already in the area. 

Once they are in the store, app users can visit the app to get personalized recommendations and to view reviews and product features in the easy-to-use platform. 

 

Better Targeted Advertising

Geospatial data allows your marketing teams to create better, targeted advertising campaigns that’ll drive your bottom line. 

For instance, let’s say you have a flower shop. You would want to pinpoint important location information of what neighborhood your ideal customer may live in and work in to ensure that any advertisement you launch online is shown to those specific groups of people. 

Through the power of geospatial data, incorporating target market data, you’ll be able to set more precise targeting parameters in your digital advertisements.

 

Example: Under Armour Uses Location-Based Marketing through App

An example of a company that uses geospatial data for digital marketing is Under Armour. Under Armour uses GIS through its Map my Fitness app to give its users better-targeted advertising. From tracking the type of activities you do to knowing geographically where you’re located, the Under Armour fitness trackers are pretty robust in their tracking features allowing the company to market its users more effectively. 

How does this look in action?

If you use the Map my Fitness app to track your runs, you may start to get more advertisements for Under Armour running shoes. If you actively use the app in a location with a colder climate, you may start to see more advertisements for the Under Armour base layer. The list goes on. Through the app, the company is able to up-sell and cross-sell seamlessly without coming off as too “salesy”. 

 

Enhanced Personalized Messaging

Personalized messaging has been proven to have significantly higher engagement rates than non-personalized messages. In fact, 90% of consumers find personalized marketing more appealing than the latter. 

Geospatial data allows your teams to send out personalized messaging based on where your customers are located and what they’re doing at any given moment. Pretty neat right? Let’s take a look at how Ritual creates personalized messaging by using geospatial data. 

Example: Ritual Ordering Food App utilizes Personalized Messaging with GIS

Ritual food ordering app is known to connect users with restaurants in the area based on historical purchasing habits. (It’s similar to DoorDash or Uber Eats.) 

Ritual does a great job when it comes to personalization. The company will send personalized notifications to its users with food recommendations based on both area and taste preferences. These simple but powerful pop-up notifications make the customer more likely to open the app and place an order. They may not exactly purchase from the restaurant you suggest, but it gets them curious (and hungry) to find the right food place to make an order at. 

 

Transform Your Digital Marketing Efforts with Geospatial Data

All in all, geospatial data is everywhere. It’s one of the most important elements for marketers and advertisers to understand if they want to accurately target their audience. 

As a recap, geospatial data can: 

  • Bring more foot traffic to your store
  • Help you create better-targeted ads
  • Enable you to send out more personalized messaging

As more and more location-based data becomes available to retailers, it has become even more important now than ever before for retailers to use that data to their advantage. If not, you are missing out on the opportunity to improve your reach to those who need to see your message the most: potential customers. 

Categories
Business

How to Market Your Mobile App: 6 Best Methods

Let’s say that you released an excellent mobile app for iOS and Android and believe that it can be used by many.

The problem is that both Apple Store and Google Play Store are filled with various applications in all the available categories.

Expecting to just get lucky is hardly a winning strategy. No, you need to create a strategy to help your app go viral.

 

Some Key Steps to Take Before the Promotion Campaign

Before you begin, there are a few important things to make sure of. For one, the app should be optimized for different devices.

That includes performance and storage consumption. According to the Backlight blog, it can be a bit tricky to manage a smartphone’s storage, and apps that consume more space than they realistically should are the opposite of user-friendly.

Another thing is to optimize the app for a store search. People who are interested in downloading and installing the app should be able to find it without problems.

Finally, get a monetization model in place that clearly states whether the app is free, freemium, or paid. The pricing model should be clear and not mislead the consumers.

 

Run Ad Campaigns on Social Media

Let’s start with social media. It is often the go-to platform for marketing. Mobile device users browse social media often, so it makes sense to strike where your potential users are.

You can launch a paid ad campaign and set specific demographics that you want to target in relation to what your app offers. 

 

Post on Forums

Traditional forums are not as prominent as they were back in the day, but you can still find plenty of them. 

Creating a thread or replying to a forum user in a way that you can mention your app naturally is a good approach. For instance, if someone creates a thread asking how to save more money and you have an app that helps you manage finances, it makes sense to advertise the app as a potential solution, right?

A similar approach can be made not just on traditional forums. You can find relevant threads on Reddit and Quora, as well as various posts on social media groups.

 

Collaborate With Influencers

Get in touch with influencers and offer them something in exchange for promoting your application.

The influencers should have demographics that are relevant to your application. For instance, if the app is all about promoting a healthy lifestyle, then Instagram influencers who have a brand built around a healthy lifestyle are a good fit.

You do not have to limit yourself just to social media. Twitch TV is excellent for those who want to promote a gaming app. 

Even though most Twitch streamers play on computers and consoles rather than mobile devices, there are some who do. Not to mention that some streamers would be fine switching to a mobile game for a bit if the offer is good enough to persuade them. 

 

Reach Out to Podcasts

Podcasts are worth a shout as well. If you listen to one, you are likely to hear how a service or a product is the sponsor of the episode.

It is common for podcast hosts to monetize their content through various advertising deals or by collaborating with top podcast ad agencies. A short break in the middle of a podcast or an introduction is when you hear the promotional part.

Ideally, you should come on as a guest and talk about it from a developer’s point of view and why people should consider using your app. However, if such an opportunity does not present itself, a simple promotional bit on a podcast is still a good marketing method.

 

Pitch to Tech Writers

Many tech writers are looking for new things to cover on their websites. Some are eager to get exclusives because the tech industry is competitive. 

You could reach out to various bloggers and let them know about your application. Give them early access and inform them that they are part of an exclusive group that gets to try the app before everyone else. 

 

Advertise in Apps

In-app advertisements are quite common, especially when an app is free but has a paid version. It encourages users to eliminate the apps by getting the paid version.

One of the downsides of this method is that you might find it difficult to strike a deal with other app developers to let you promote your app on theirs. Nevertheless, the idea is worth a try.

 

Closing Thoughts

Launching a new app is a stressful feat, especially if you put a lot of effort into it and received positive feedback from your circle. 

The next step is about getting the word out there and letting people know about your application. The methods mentioned in the article should be enough to create a solid marketing campaign but do not be afraid to explore them even further.

 

Categories
Geospatial

How Geospatial Data In Fintech Is Expected To Revolutionize The Way You Bank

With an estimated compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 19.8%, the Global Fintech market will hit $332.5 billion by 2028. And there are no signs of slowing down in sight.

Deloitte says the second wave of fintech is right around the corner. And it involves partnering with technology companies to use data to gain access to new markets, understand their customers, and learn the “secret sauce” that powers innovation.

In a fast-paced industry that requires quick thinking to stay at the top, fintech companies are turning to geospatial data to help improve their offerings.

By using this information, businesses can understand their customers’ behaviors and use that knowledge to create products and services that meet their needs.

In this article, we’ll explore how geospatial data will revolutionize how you bank and participate in any other kind of financial transaction, for that matter.

Let’s dive in. 

 

What is geospatial data in fintech?

Geospatial data or location data is inherently dependent on location or organized so that it can be easily mapped to various locations.

And it’s becoming more and more common in fintech applications to help financial institutions better understand their customers.

For example, geospatial data helps track where people use mobile banking services or how often they visit their bank in person. Now banks can access powerful data that’s perfect for making data-backed decisions about which locations should receive new branches or ATMs based on customer demand and behavior patterns.

With the growing demand for geospatial data, financial institutions are rapidly investing in data center infrastructure. Fintech companies need the right technology to store and manage new data sources. Without it, they can’t keep up with a competitive industry that wants to serve its customers.

Let’s review some ways geospatial data in fintech is revolutionizing the banking industry. 

 

Increase location-based services

Location-based services are one of the most popular uses of geospatial data. These services use your phone’s GPS (or other location-based technology) to pinpoint your location and then deliver relevant information based on that location.

Take Starbucks, for example. As you drive or walk closer to a Starbucks brick-and-mortar location, your Starbucks card that’s stored in your Apple wallet suddenly appears on your smartphone’s lock screen. If you weren’t daydreaming of a pumpkin spice latte, you are now.

Banks can learn a thing or two from Starbucks. Starbucks holds more than $1 billion in deposits from gift card sales, both in the physical form and on their mobile app.  

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Not only do they hold more cash than many banks, but they also put geospatial data to excellent use. The simple notification that you are near Starbucks plants a seed in the consumer’s mind. Now, they can’t pass up that pumpkin spice latte on a crisp fall afternoon.

According to a recent study by Capco, customers are highly interested in text alerts and notifications about opportunities to transact more efficiently.

Banks can use Starbucks’ location-based strategy to send a message to your phone when you are near an ATM. This alert is especially helpful if it’s been a while since your last visit, and you might need to restock your wallet with cash.

Or, if you enjoy the buy now, pay later option, you might receive alerts for all the stores that accept this payment method during your next shopping spree.

 

Improve customer experience with personalized services

The future of financial services is here and more personalized than ever.

In the past, you might have had a relationship with your bank that was mainly transactional: you’d go in, deposit checks, withdraw cash from an ATM, maybe get a loan, or apply for credit. That’s all well and good — but it doesn’t give you the kind of personalized experience that we’re seeing more and more in fintech these days.

Nowadays, banks are looking to improve their customer experience by offering tailored services based on where you live, what kind of lifestyle you lead, and your spending habits.

With this information, they can offer different products or services based on what would be most helpful to each client individually — and ultimately build a foundation of loyal customers.

Consumers want an easy, streamlined experience with their bank. When customers receive offers for products that are contextually relevant, they’re more likely to engage with them. Regarding finding and shopping for financial products today, 65% of banking customers believe institutions should make it easier.

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Geospatial data will become an integral part of customers’ experiences in the future as they interact with their financial institutions through mobile apps.

Fintech companies can use data about people and their assets to make better decisions about product development and deliver personalized marketing strategies.

 

Enhance fraud detection and prevention

With great power comes great responsibility. Fintech companies have access to a lot of data, and they’re using it in new ways to detect and prevent fraud.

For example, a bank uses geospatial data from its mobile app to determine the location of its customers. This data provides insight into how often customers use the app in certain areas, helping to indicate potential fraudulent activity.

So if someone is logging into their account from Moscow, Russia, instead of Los Angeles, California, for example, that could indicate a red flag — and adjustments are made to freeze the account until the transactions are approved or denied by the account holder.

Other fintech companies are turning to the dynamic duo, geospatial data and artificial intelligence, to create algorithms that detect money laundering based on behavioral patterns found within financial transactions. 

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Geospatial data helps them identify specific areas where this activity occurs (think casinos), allowing them to focus their attention on one area instead of wasting resources elsewhere.

Add in the power of machine learning, and a computer can learn to identify fraudulent schemes from previously identified patterns and then decide whether to approve an ongoing transaction.

Geospatial data has a lot of potential for fintech, but one of the most precise ways it’ll revolutionize the way you bank is by enhancing fraud detection and prevention.

Wrapping up

The wants and needs of consumers are constantly evolving and, frankly, only becoming more demanding. We all want transparency, simplicity, and convenience in every aspect of our lives, including how we manage our money.

Geospatial data will improve banking services and fraud detection by showing how consumers spend their money in real-time. Add in the power of artificial intelligence and machine learning, and you won’t even recognize the banking industry anymore.

It pays to be a mover and a shaker. 

Banks that quickly shift to investing in geographic information systems will set themselves apart from the crowd by creating a competitive advantage that’ll drive long-term business growth.

Categories
Finance Marketing & Advertising Retail

What Is Footfall Data? All You Need To Know About Foot-traffic In 2023

Footfall data is something that has been around for a while now. But what do we mean by footfall?

This kind of dataset has changed depending on the use case and industry.

In fact, footfall has moved beyond simply measuring the number of people that enter a location.

We’ll take you on a deep dive into footfall data. We’ll show you what it is with detailed examples, as well as what it can be used for across many industries.

What is footfall?

Before we look at footfall data, we need to explain what footfall is.

For us, we have always defined footfall as:

The way that a group behave and move in the real world.

This explains the who, what, when and why of how this group of people visit a location.

This could be different for each business.

But mainly footfall can tell you:

  • Trends around behaviour
  • Changes in demographics
  • Visits to real-world locations
  • Anonymised data trends

Essentially footfall means understanding how people move and behave in the real world.

 

So what is footfall data, and what does it look like?

Footfall data is sometimes referred to as foot traffic data. It’s a data set that will usually contain a number of entries. 

The dataset as a whole will signify a number of visits to a real-world location.

These are aggregated and delivered in a few different ways.

 

Aggregated visits to a location

This will be a data set in which the number of visits to a location is aggregated. This is usually done by some kind of time window, such as hourly, daily, weekly or monthly.

 

Individual visits to a location

Similar to the above, but this time each row will signify a visit to a location. This will usually come with a timestamp and will be up to the person receiving the data to aggregate the data as they wish.

 

Characteristics of visitors at a location

In this dataset, the visits to a location are overlayed with demographics data to understand the calibre of person visiting the chosen location.

 

Comparisons of visitors to a location

This dataset will contain a comparison between two locations based on the desired metric. This could be demographic or an hourly number of visits.

 

Where is footfall/foot traffic data generated from?

These datasets can come from a myriad of sources. It’s important that you understand where your footfall data is generated from, as this can affect its accuracy. The most common sources are as follows:

 

Geospatial/Location data

Data is usually generated from a mobile device. This is collected and aggregated to protect user privacy. A good amount of versatility as a single data set can be used to measure visits to numerous locations. A good balance of scale and accuracy.

 

Sensory data

These are usually physical sensors that are placed in entrances to stores. Very accurate but limited mainly to retail and requires stores to install physical tech, so not very scalable.

 

Purchase data

This kind of footfall data involves taking payment data to understand changing traffic in stores. It can be scalable but is not very accurate. This is mainly due to the fact that you are measuring purchases as opposed to visits.

 

How can footfall data help my business?

Traffic and movement trends

One of the main use cases for footfall data is for understanding changing traffic and movement trends.

These kinds of insights are valuable for businesses that are interested in physical locations. 

Examples of this use case are:

  • A retail location understands the changing number of visitors to its location. This could be a store or a real estate planner.
  • A city planner understands macro visits changes to plan infrastructure.
  • Financial companies looking to identify trends in behaviour for investment purposes.
  • OOH media owners measure how many people have seen their ads.

 

Visitor demographics

As mentioned, with overlapping datasets, it’s possible to show the demographic of visitors to locations. These demographics are features such as age, gender, interests. 

This use case traditionally sits more on the side of marketing and advertising. 

Example use cases are:

  • Marketers target consumers who have visited a real-world location.
  • Building lookalike audiences in advertising platforms.

 

Competitive analysis

This is similar to our first use case, but the target location will typically be a competitor. 

Examples of this use case are:

  • A store measures competitors’ traffic to target them with advertising.
  • A new site planner understands competitive performance to decide where to open a new site or venue.

 

Training ML

Footfall data can also be used to train emerging ML models. These models are being used to power new tools that can help solve problems in the real world.

Examples of this use case are:

  • Predictive insights into footfall
  • Complex financial predictions

 

Example of footfall data

Get started with best-in-class footfall data today.

 

Categories
Business

Using Technology to Engage Event Attendees

Event organisers are always looking for new and interesting ways to engage with and keep their attendees engaged during and after their event. From the increasing variety of vendors, dedicated areas to network, and recognizable speakers, to modern event attendee tracking technology and digital rewards. In this article explore the tools and strategies used to attract and engage event attendees so they return year after year and are motivated to get their peers involved. 

The Importance of Event Engagement

Without engagement, events are doomed to fail. It may not be straight away but over time the audience dwindles, tickets fail to sell, and organisers can no longer fund the event. Many events have gone this way over the years as organisers fail to prioritise their attendees. Attendees expect more from today’s events. They are over the excitement of returning to in-person events after several years of hybrid and virtual events and are experiencing increased costs for travel and accommodation. This is why attendees and their employers need assurance that the event they attend will be providing value for their time. 

How Technology Improves Event Engagement

Technology is woven into events. Organisers use tools and technology to streamline the administration behind the event, from selling tickets to onboarding vendors, to analysing results. Some of this technology is already being utilised to engage event attendees. Ticket platforms provide information, agendas, maps, and more for attendees to familiarise themselves before turning up to the event. Visual technology like screens, projectors, and speakers are used around the venue to show attendees where to go, what’s going on, or what sessions are coming up. Aside from the common technology used in events, organisers also benefit from the use of QR codes, footfall data, digital awards, and live translations. 

QR Codes

QR codes are a fantastic technology that almost slipped by the world without much attention. Fortunately in the last few years they have drastically grown in popularity and many organisations are using QR codes in different ways. Restaurants use them to replace and supplement physical menus, advertisers use them on billboards, and estate agents feature them on ‘For Sale’ signs. Users scan the QR code with their smartphone to access information, register interest, watch videos, and more.

 

Event organisers can utilise QR codes in several ways; featured on the event ticket linking to exclusive attendee offers, at entry points to streamline checkline, and on vendor booths to measure interest. The use of QR codes also helps to reduce physical touch points which is in keeping with the latest health guidelines and reduces the risk of illnesses spreading. QR codes are cheap to create and maintain, easy to use, and can be designed with imagery and brand colours. With an efficient QR code generator, event organisers can quickly produce custom codes tailored to their needs. They are an ideal technology for event organisers to explore as a way of engaging their attendees.

Footfall Data

Foot traffic data or footfall data are the metrics tracked from real-world footfall; the movement and behaviour of individuals and groups. Metrics can be tracked in several ways, by aggregate visits to a location, individual visits to a location, characteristics of visitors at a location, and comparisons of visitors to a location. The data comes from different sources depending on the application. For example, geospatial/location data is gathered from mobile devices that can be set-up in multiple locations. Sensory data is the data commonly collected by retail stores using physical sensors that are installed at the entrance. Purchase data are the metrics gathered from payments and purchases. 

 

Event organisers can use geospatial/location data collected from devices placed around an event venue to understand what their attendees are interested in. Whether certain vendors were more popular, how long attendees spent at different vendors or stands, and how groups moved through the event. This provides actionable insights for attendee engagement. Based on the data, organisers can understand what sort of vendors best resonate with their audiences and whether stands need to be moved to improve attendee flow.

Digital Awards 

Digital awards such as digital credentials, digital certificates, and digital badges are a popular method of rewarding and engaging learners, members, candidates, and attendees. They are extremely versatile and are used in a variety of environments including higher education, associations, professional certification, and events. Organisations issue digital awards to individuals to recognize effort and illustrate growth. Recipients then share their digital awards in celebration to social media platforms, add them to LinkedIn profiles and professional resumes, and embed them online and in email signatures. 

 

Event organisers can use digital awards to recognize attendance, reward volunteers, and credit speakers. Attendees are issued digital badges that are fully portable meaning they can be uploaded to smartphone devices where they are used to streamline check-in. They share their attendance badges to social media increasing visibility for the event and creating discussion. The increased visibility helps to drive referrals, increasing future attendance, and keeping the event at the top of conversation for longer. 

Live Translation

English is the most common language spoken at events, conferences, and tradeshows in the UK and the US, but international attendees also frequent events in these locations. Especially large, industry-leading events where there are plenty of opportunities to learn and network. Live translation are tools that enable real-time language interpreting for live streams and in-person presentations. The tools became readily available during the pandemic following the rise of virtual events and should be a must-have for all future events. Live translation tools reduce barriers created by language, make the event more accessible, and serve as a valuable way to engage with greater audiences. 

In Summary

Embracing technology in events to engage attendees is a must for organisers that want their event to succeed and stand out amongst competitors. This is especially important for organisers that intend to bring their event back year after year. They need to be prepared to understand, research, and explore the demands and expectations of their audience and ensure their needs are met and surpassed to keep them interested and returning. Through research, strategizing, and innovation, organisers can ensure that the technology used delivers a great user experience for themselves, the sponsors, the speakers, and most importantly, the attendees.