Six Uses for IP Targeting This Thanksgiving

In the last several years, retailers have really come to understand the value that IP targeting technology can bring to their digital marketing initiatives. Of course, I’ve only been preaching about the benefit of IP-based geotargeting for more than 13 years now, but I’m a patient guy (even though, in 1999, I was probably just a tad bit ahead of the whole online shopping thing). Heck, I remember article after article that said consumers would never give up their credit card information to buy anything over the Internet.

I thank my lucky stars every day that particular prophecy didn’t come true. In fact, consumers today drive the online shopping experience as they continue to demand to shop on their terms and become more entrenched in the local shopping experience.

Here are six quick examples of how retailers can put IP targeting in play on the web this Thanksgiving holiday:

1.    A grocery store chain can incorporate a store locator to automatically highlight stores in users’ areas down to a postal-code level-especially the ones that are open on Thanksgiving morning for those last-minute cooking needs.

2.    Nationally branded restaurants can get in on the locavore movement by showcasing regional dishes such as those using turkeys from Minnesota, cranberries from Wisconsin or pumpkins from Washington.

3.    A large national kitchen retailer can run a local Cyber Monday promotion that encourages shoppers to order online and pick up/return in store, helping to drive more traffic to brick-and-mortar locations

4.    Drug store chains can prompt users to take advantage of other location-based services for better targeting, offering them a locals-only discount on “remedies for overindulgence” at a store down the street in exchange for user opt-in

5.    A regional sports retailer can encourage web visitors to download a free app and receive a $5-off coupon for running shoes at a local store to help work off all those calories from holiday eating

6.    Big-box retailers can promote local retail locations enabled with in-store technology to website visitors and offer a Black Friday 20% discount on any purchases they make using this mobile application.

Part of IP targeting’s value comes in its versatility. Retailers can incorporate IP targeting to both leverage their web presences and/or identify mobile device users to drive app and in-store technology usage. Additionally, for those mobile shoppers who don’t opt-in to location-based services, they can still be targeted with local information based on their IP address.

For all this-and more-I give thanks. Here’s wishing you and yours a wonderful Thanksgiving holiday.