Are Wearables the Next Big Thing in Local Innovation?

Wearables are one less thing to hold, one less thing to reach for in your bag, and of course, one less thing to drop. There is no denying that the wearable computer is the next generation in the digital age, but how will the penetration of wearable technology impact your local marketing strategy?

Geo Targeting to Wearable Devices

While The Apple Watch isn’t the first of its kind, its entry ensures the wearable technology market will become more competitive – transforming local search marketing in the process. As wearables become more popular amongst consumers, it will become important that marketers create advertisements for these devices.

Mindshare’s, Jeff Malmad, stated the following:

From a location standpoint, I think it raises the awareness to a different level than just looking at your smart phone. Many consumers have their smart phone in their pocketbooks, in their back pockets. Getting a push notification directly to your wrist that is being triggered by the Geo-location you are in makes the awareness level that much greater.

As technology continues to advance, the consumer's journey becomes more fragmented. With so many connection points to reach consumers, marketers must ensure that they are always on top of mind for consumers. And what better way to stay relevant than to send push notification straight to your consumers wrist?

App Payments Available at Every Location 

In the near future App payment will become as common as swiping a credit card is today. From Theme Parks to Spring Festivals, wearable technology with payment enabled is becoming something consumers want and expect. If your brick-and-mortar locations have not implemented other forms of payment technology like Google Wallet and Apple Pay, it is time to jump on the bandwagon. Wearable technology like the Apple Watch comes with effortless payment options, providing everything your consumers need for payment right on their wrist.  Mobile payments are easy, fast, and convenient for consumers. To remain relevant, and delight consumers, marketers will need to implement these forms of payments at every location.

Conclusion

With the penetration of wearable technology in the digital space, marketers must find ways to use this technology and data to attract and retain their consumers. From geotargeted advertisements to efficient app payment, staying on top of the trends is crucial to staying relevant in the eyes of your consumers. For marketers, wearable technology is not about the device on your wrist, but rather what can be done with the data these devices collect. A smart phone in your consumers pocket tracks where they’re headed, but a computer on their wrist tracks steps, heart rate and even their mood.  Our latest whitepaper discusses the importance of small data, “Digital tidbits consumer's leave in their paths as they go through the day,” and how your brand can leverage this data. Find out more about this topic but downloading our free whitepaper.