Did you ever think you’d live to see the day when regular household items could rat their owners out to various and sundry businesses? Sounds like one of those dystopian future scenarios where the machines have risen up and taken over, doesn’t it?
Well, though there’s been no subjugation of the human race to speak of, we are in fact now living in a time when our devices, vehicles, appliances, even household pets, are collecting and transmitting information on how we live.
Any marketing types out there who are reading this may be asking, “So how can we take advantage of this brave new world?” For those marketers and anyone else trying to engage in some honest e-commerce, this one’s for you.
What Is The IoT?
It’s short for the Internet of Things, which in turn means a plethora of devices are equipped with a sensor device of some sort, an Internet connection, and a means of transmitting data without human intervention.
Your FitBit is part of the Internet of Things, and it can send your workout data to related businesses, who in turn may send you deals.
The Internet of Things can connect anything from cars to home security systems, to a FitBit, to your pet’s transponder ID chip. Imagine all of these devices, all with a wireless Internet connection, sending information to many different sources. That, friends, is the IoT.
The article “How is the IoT Changing Marketing & Lead Generation Forever?” tells us that ” … There are currently 15 billion connected devices in use, and that number is expected to climb to 50 billion within the next four years.” So yes, the IoT is here to stay and is growing.
Hyper-Local Message Marketing
If there is any major change that the Internet of Things is ushering in, it’s the concept of hyper-local mobile messaging. Picture, if you will, a family going to the supermarket. A sensor at the front door picks up the parents’ smartphones geographical coordinates, then BAM! there are a plethora of text-based coupons popping up on the device!
Or imagine a weather-based sensor located near the mobile device user’s residence, and it picks up the fact that rain is forecast. That’s when an offer appears for 50% off beers and pool table usage at the local watering hole. That certainly sounds more appealing than tromping around in the rain, doesn’t it? And that’s what marketers are hoping those message recipients are thinking as well!
It could even get to the point where a number of accumulated miles a runner has achieved over a period of time may trigger an offer for new running shoes. That’s not so far-fetched, considering sites like NikePlus that keep track of your progress by communicating with your fitness device and logging all of the miles.
Bring Out The Customized Content!
The hyper-local offers are just part of the equation. To effectively get the point across, marketers relying on the Internet of Things will need to present these promotions with content that directly relates to the recipient. In any event, the less generic, the better.
Everyone likes to be approached and treated like a real live human being, and customized content sent via IoT can bring people that experience, while stacking the deck in the favor of the business that’s hoping to convert a lead into an actual sale.
Content is king, that’s true, but like any other monarchy, it needs to evolve with the times if it wants to survive. While there will always be a need for general online marketing content, the Internet of Things demands more personalized content, more real-time offers, and an overall more efficient means of marketing.
If you want to know more about the IoT, check out “The Rise Of The Internet Of Things”.