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Do you remember Facebook’s announcement back in March regarding location-based status update? It has now surfaced yet again. However, that above feature will only cater to users but Facebook is planning to offer this feature to marketers too, including McDonald’s.
McDonald’s fans will be given the ability to check in at a location using a status update on Facebook as early as this month, AdAge reports, and then see a featured product targeted to that location. They will be the pioneering brand to utilize this service, as part of a larger media buy.
A look at McDonald’s fan page, it’s clear that the company is moving towards location-based social media presence. Users are asked to give their zip code to get local McDonald’s info and specials. I tried entering my location and got the response, “Sorry, we’re not in your city…just yet! We’re expanding our local Facebook reach and want to hear from you.”
Through digital agency Tribal DDB, Chicago, McDonald’s is building an app with Facebook thatwould allow users to check in at one of its restaurants and have a featured product appear in the post, such as an Angus Quarter Pounder. However, it was noted that Facebook won’t be charging advertisers for highly targeted, extremely valuable, serendipity-inducing, long-term-relationship-forming privilege of showing their promotion to a nearby customer on an already-open Facebook mobile app.
Mr. Colleran noted that Facebook has the world’s largest mobile application, with more than 100 million users each day. “We don’t make a single dime off it,” he said. “And that is our intent.” Facebook, he said, is profitable because of the advertising on Facebook.com alone.
I don’t believe what Mr. Colleran said above because it is plain silly for Facebook not to capitalize on location-based advertising around check-ins. What kind of implications do you think this news would serve towards marketers?
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