#11: Geo-fencing: Gain more insight with the power of location technology
Geo-fencing is a developing tool for civic engagement, and it couldn’t be more targeted. Using smartphone technology, geo-fencing delivers push notifications and messages to users when they enter specific geography; their action of entering the area triggers the notice. If you’re not sure how that might work for your civic planning project, read on.
What is Geo-fencing?
Geo-fencing is a facet of geotargeting, a location-based digital outreach tool that can reach every internet-connected device within a chosen space with a text, social media alert, or other campaign material. The tactic enables engagement planners to identify the recipient of marketing and outreach messaging by using location, or GPS mapping points. While geo-targeting is often used to more narrowly define who gets messages and exclude certain demographics, geofencing only limits the campaign to physical borders. Everyone within defined boundaries would receive the same information on their device when they enter or exit a “fence.”
Here are a few ways geo-fencing can be used to enhance campaigns of all kinds:
Saturation campaign. Geo-fencing ensures everyone in the specified neighborhood or project area is included.
Flexible for change. Geo-fencing definitions can shift as the campaign evolves.
Geographic limits. The number of people who receive messaging that is not relevant for them is reduced by keeping the outreach focused within a specific geographic area.
How can geo-fencing improve public engagement?
Increase meeting attendance. Let people entering a bus route or roadway project know about an upcoming public meeting on the topic to share their point of view.
Collect more input. Use geo-fencing to deliver quick poll questions or a link to a broader survey about a project or project site.
Understand the audience. Geo-fencing defines space, but it also delivers information back on who receives the alerts, informing planners on the effectiveness of their outreach effort.
Fence Defense
Things to consider when planning a geo-fencing tactic include eliminating overlapping fences, so audiences don’t receive multiple messages, and choosing when to distribute notifications judiciously to avoid over-communicating with the audience. We also recommend engagement teams go out on the road and test the system before deploying it—you may discover some refinements to your virtual geographic boundary that would improve communication before it even begins. Let’s get to work, give us a call and schedule a meeting today.Arch Street Communications
251 W 117th St, NY, NY 10026
160 Wildey Street, Tarrytown, NY 10591
Tel: 914-821-5100 | Fax: 914-821-5111
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