Published on September 11, 2025/Last edited on September 11, 2025/15 min read
You’re walking past your favorite coffee shop when your phone buzzes—a push notification offers 20% off if you order in the next 30 minutes. You weren’t planning to stop, but now you’re tempted.
That’s location-based marketing in action, and a perfect example of how location-based advertising turns proximity into a personalized, real-time experience. By using location data to tailor outreach in the moment, brands can make campaigns hyper-relevant, boosting conversions by up to 27%.
71% of consumers expect personalized experiences from brands, and as we naturally pay more attention to what’s happening nearby—whether it’s a local game, an event, or a new restaurant—it’s no surprise that location has become one of the most powerful tools in a marketer’s toolkit.
In this guide, we’ll cover:
Location-based marketing is when brands tailor their outreach based on the current physical location of each messaging recipient. Brands look at how customers move around in the real world and use that movement to trigger digital experiences. By identifying where a customer is in real time, marketers can deliver messages, offers, and experiences that feel directly relevant to that person, in that moment.
This approach uses location data from sources such as mobile devices, GPS, Wi-Fi signals, Bluetooth beacons, or third-party enrichment services to target those within a specific area.
There are several common types of location-based marketing, each suited to different goals, audiences, and contexts.
Geo-targeting is the practice of detecting a user’s location and delivering tailored messages, whether that’s an ad, an email, or a push notification, based on where they are. It’s a direct way to make your outreach feel immediately relevant.
These messages are often sent via text, push, or in-app notifications, but geo-targeting can also influence the ads you see when you open a social platform or visit a website. Paired with customer data, like preferences and past activity, geo-targeting helps you connect with the right people at the right moment, while avoiding those who aren’t a fit.
Geo-targeting, or mobile-location targeting, typically uses a device’s IP address to determine location. Every internet-connected device—phone, tablet, or laptop—has one, with part of the address identifying the country and the rest narrowing down to regions, cities, or even postal codes. This lets marketers reach people in specific locations with precision, wherever their device goes.
If you’ve ever spotted a Facebook ad for a nail salon in your neighborhood instead of one hundreds of miles away, that’s geo-targeting at work, making sure you’re only seeing offers and experiences that are close enough to act on.
Geofencing uses a virtual boundary—a defined area marketers set—to trigger messages when someone’s device enters or exits that space. Unlike geo-targeting, which can include or exclude users based on extra data like demographics, geofencing simply captures everyone who crosses into the zone. It’s especially useful for catching customers’ attention in the moment, such as when they’re walking past a store or attending an event.
Geofencing typically relies on GPS to map a digital perimeter. When a device moves into or out of that perimeter, it triggers an automated message, such as a push notification or SMS, as long as the person has opted in to that channel.
If you’ve ever been at a concert and received a push notification to grab merch while you’re still in the venue, or set a reminder on your phone to pick up something when you’re near a shop, you’ve experienced geofencing in action.
Beacons are small, low-cost Bluetooth devices—usually under two square inches—that detect nearby smartphones and trigger location-based messages. The beacons themselves don’t send the content. Instead, they signal a server, which can then send a push, SMS, or in-app message, depending on the campaign setup.
This type of proximity marketing uses Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE) technology, which is inexpensive, works without Wi-Fi or strong cell service, and uses very little power, so batteries can last for months or even years. The trade-off is that users must have Bluetooth turned on and have granted the necessary permissions to receive beacon-triggered messages.
If you’ve walked into a store with that brand’s app installed and received a notification about an in-store deal, or been prompted to donate to a cause while attending a live event, there’s a good chance a beacon was behind it.
Data enrichment combines your own first-party customer data with third-party context—like local weather, upcoming events, or real-time foot traffic patterns—to create more precise and timely outreach. By layering these additional signals onto location data, brands can adapt messaging to reflect what’s happening in a customer’s immediate environment.
Data enrichment typically integrates with location services to pull in relevant external factors. This could mean syncing with weather APIs to promote cold-weather products during a cold snap, or using event calendars to reach attendees as they arrive at a venue.
Ibotta, in partnership with Braze and Radar, used data enrichment to send personalized offers right at the point of purchase, increasing redemption rates by reaching customers at exactly the right moment.
Language-based personalization adjusts the language, tone, and regional references in your messaging based on a customer’s location. This not only improves clarity but also strengthens the sense of connection between brand and audience.
When a user’s location is identified, messaging is localized to match their preferred or most relevant language. This can include full translations, regional spelling and phrasing, or localized cultural references to make campaigns feel native to the recipient.
Canva localizes campaigns into 20 languages and tailors send times based on user locations. This approach has increased open rates by 33% and boosted engagement by 2.5%.
The way you collect location information determines how you can use it. Most location-based marketing falls into one of three data categories:
Fixed information like mailing addresses, postal codes, or self-reported city/country. Useful for broad segmentation (e.g., sending winter coat promos to colder regions), but not for real-time triggers.
Gathered while a user’s app is open (“in the foreground”), often via GPS or Wi-Fi. More precise than static data and updates during active sessions, making it ideal for timely but session-linked campaigns.
Collected even when the app isn’t open, with user consent. Enables real-time triggers like geofencing or beacon campaigns. Powerful for timely engagement, but requires careful handling to avoid overstepping on privacy or frequency.
An effective location-based marketing or location based advertising campaign typically follows these steps:
As consumer attention becomes harder to earn and competition grows fiercer, broad, generic campaigns are easy for customers to ignore. The right types of hyperlocal marketing can flip that challenge by letting brands concentrate on the audiences and moments that matter most—turning proximity into an advantage.
Personalization based on location can boost conversions by up to 27%. Campaigns timed and tailored to a customer’s real-world context are far more likely to inspire action.
Example: 500px used built-in language targeting in Braze to send promotional emails and in-app messages in German and French, tailoring campaigns to local audiences. This drove a 257% revenue increase in Germany and a 145% increase in France, with Germany becoming one of their top three markets within months.
Geo-triggered messaging speaks to customers’ immediate context, cutting through the noise and encouraging repeat interactions.
Example: Burger King’s Whopper Detour campaign geofenced 14,000 McDonald’s locations, offering a one-cent Whopper when users opened the Burger King app nearby. The result: 3.2 million app downloads and a 50% lift in monthly active users.
Tailoring campaigns to match a customer’s environment shows the brand understands and values their day-to-day reality.
Example: Canva used Braze to run campaigns in 20 languages, personalizing both timing and content. This approach increased open rates by 33% and engagement by 2.5%.
Location data can enhance live experiences and drive participation during key moments.
Example: Zac Brown Band used Bluetooth beacons in Wrigley Field to trigger in-app charity donation prompts mid-concert, boosting real-time engagement and contributions.
The real magic of location-based advertising is in how brands use it to surprise, delight, and connect with people in ways that feel effortless. These campaigns show what happens when timing, context, and creativity line up perfectly.
Burger King, a global quick-service restaurant (QSR) brand, set out to strengthen relationships with diners and boost mobile app usage by embracing creative, mobile‑first customer engagement.
In a crowded QSR market, traditional ads and promotions were table stakes. Burger King needed a breakthrough approach to grow app adoption and engagement at scale.
The team launched Whopper Detour, turning 14,000 McDonald’s locations into promotional zones with geofencing. Using Braze with location partner Radar, the brand encouraged users in‑app to enable location and notifications, then delivered timely push notifications, in‑app messages, and email the moment someone was within 600 feet of a McDonald’s to unlock the deal for a one‑cent Whopper. Braze testing capabilities helped optimize opt‑ins and message performance.
Canva, the online design platform serving millions across 190 countries, set out to communicate more effectively with a diverse, global audience.
Email and messaging were managed across siloed systems, and most communications went out only in English. The team needed scalable localization without sacrificing deliverability or speed.
Using Braze Connected Content with the Google Sheet API, Canva sent tailored messaging in 20 languages, while running an advanced IP warmup to safely scale weekly sends from 30 million to 50 million. Campaigns featured timely, helpful content and were orchestrated across channels to match local needs.
You can’t discuss location-based marketing without addressing privacy. Concern around the sensitive nature of some data is often the biggest barrier to broader adoption and trust. For both brands and consumers, how personal information is collected, used and protected is of primary importance. Even well-intentioned marketing efforts can feel uncomfortable to customers if done carelessly.
Research found that 55% of people describe it as creepy when websites know their location immediately upon opening—without user consent. 81% used negative descriptors like “scary,” “annoying,” or “invasive” to describe such tracking.
Even well-intentioned campaigns can feel invasive if the value isn’t obvious. If you can’t make a clear, credible case for why sharing location will improve a customer’s experience, it’s better not to use it. And if you do, avoid overusing the data you gain. Triggering a push every time someone walks past your store isn’t just annoying, it’s a fast track to opt-outs.
The tech landscape is also shifting rapidly. Major platforms are rolling out more granular permission settings, tighter background tracking limits, and privacy-preserving APIs that reduce reliance on persistent identifiers. At the same time, regulators are increasing scrutiny on sensitive location data, with enforcement actions targeting companies that collect or share precise information without consent.
For marketers, this means two things:
When customers know their data is respected, they’re far more likely to share it.
Clear value, respectful data use, and smart execution are what separate successful location-based advertising from campaigns that alienate customers. These best practices can help build programs that perform over time.
Prompt for location permissions during onboarding or when the value is most obvious. For example, just before offering location-specific offers or local event updates.
Explain exactly how location data will be used, what customers will gain, and what won’t be done with their data. Make commitments and honor them.
Layer in behavioral signals, preferences, and lifecycle stage to create richer, more relevant outreach.
Track opt-out rates, app uninstalls, and engagement drop-offs to spot issues before they damage trust.
Run A/B or multivariate tests on small segments to validate timing, creative, and targeting accuracy before expanding campaigns.
Don’t call out hyper-specific movements in messaging unless the value to the customer is obvious and significant. Keep the focus on helpfulness, not surveillance.
Braze enables marketers to activate real-time, location-based targeting across channels with precision and scale. Using a combination of geofences, beacons, and third-party data enrichment, Braze helps brands deliver hyper-relevant messages exactly when and where they matter.
The flexible architecture of Braze allows marketers to choose the right mix of location-based tactics, from broad geo-targeting to aisle-level beacon triggers, without sacrificing customer trust.
Before you launch your next campaign, run through this quick checklist to make sure you’re set up for success:
Location-based personalization is powerful, but it’s just one component of successful marketing strategy. The brands that see the biggest lift combine location with preferences, past behavior, and lifecycle stage to make campaigns feel genuinely useful.
That usefulness is what earns trust. Customers are far more willing to share their location if the value is clear and the experience is better because of it. That means asking for permission at the right moments, keeping your promises about how data will be used, and resisting the temptation to overuse data.
As privacy rules tighten and platform controls evolve, the core principle stays the same: be transparent, be relevant, and let location work alongside your other data to create messages that resonate in the moment.
Location-based marketing tailors messages, offers, or content based on a customer’s real-world location, using GPS, Wi-Fi, IP addresses, or Bluetooth beacons to deliver more relevant experiences.
There are many types of location-based marketing but the most common include geo-targeting advertising, geofencing, Bluetooth beacons, data enrichment with context like weather or events, and language personalization to suit local audiences.
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