Targeting Users at Home and Work: What the Walled Gardens and DSPs Aren’t Telling You

What is the most relevant signal in terms of proximity? In mobile advertising many are familiar with the idea of geofencing a radius based on proximity, with less aware of polygon targeting actual visitors to the location itself. A signal we hear less about is proximity to work and home. What does that mean and what is the difference?

Geo fencing is based on targeting a device within a defined area (the “fence”) in proximity to a specific location (such as a store), while targeting users at work or home is based on where they actually live or work in proximity to that store.

Why does this matter?

When you are trying to influence consumers, what is more important: they are in a location in that moment or targeting them in a location where they spend most of their time? We know it takes multiple touch points to influence consumers, so it’s important to apply reach and frequency along with location. To which you might say, ‘Ok sure, but I can already do that in my DSP, thank you very much.’

To which I would say, ‘Well actually, you can’t.’

When targeting in any digital platform such as Google Ads, Facebook, or a DSP you can apply filters like postal code targeting, yet these filters have limitations:

1. Targeting is limited to the first 3 digits of a postal code (Called FSA – about 8,000 Households) not the entire 6 digit postal code (12 to 18 households), a huge difference.

2. In Canada, the most robust, privacy compliant data segments are 6-digit postal code. (For example, Environics has over 24,000 6-digit postal code segments).

Ok, so it turns out digital platforms need a tool to do this level of targeting. How does this work?

Some use IP address to resolve to the 6 digit level, but IP addresses are extremely inaccurate, and Google for one is planning to take them out soon, with pressure from the GDPR and major lawsuits in Europe over privacy violations. With G4,the new version of Google Analytics, IP address will not be included as a tracked parameter.

With privacy compliance in mind, Connected Interactive uses mobile device IDs with GPS coordinates that allow marketers to understand a devices home postal code from a month or two of activity, which adheres to privacy laws while proving to be a scalable solution. And with 28MM verified mobile devices, we can then cross device target and expand to a larger channel mix.

With our device-level data linked to postal codes we are then able to tie in purchase behavior from Moneris’ POS systems, credit card data and a massive amount of household behavior that can then be augmented with other online attributes. Addressable TVs have a bright future using this type of data and even flyers are making a comeback as part of an omnichannel strategy – not that they ever left, really.

In the end, with new privacy compliance laws and the resulting changes to platforms and technology, how we think of 3rd party data and measurement will evolve, but 6-digit postal code targeting will remain an incredible source of information that can be used to understand consumer behavior and utilized for more accurate data mapping and user targeting driving increased sales, purchase volume and more.