After testing Waze Local in beta for more than a year, the new tool has been launched to specifically give small businesses a marketing platform to reach consumers on the road. And with campaigns starting for as little as $2 per day, this can be a way to drive foot traffic into stores.
Waze is a carpooling app owned by Google which has taken a different approach to ridesharing. And one of the ways it generates revenue is through advertising, which it has been doing by allowing large brands to buy ads since 2011. With Waze Local, small businesses will be able to do the same, albeit without all the bells and whistles.
What it will do for your small business is increase foot traffic. Kung Fu Tea, which participated in the beta test, saw more than 5,500 drivers going to one of its 16 locations thanks to ads over a span of three months. On average, Waze Local delivered a 20 percent increase for the businesses which bought ads, Google says.
On the GeoMarketing blog from local marketing service Yext, Matt Phillips, Head of Waze Local, explains the need small businesses have to drive in foot traffic. Phillips is quotes as saying, “SMBs are not interested in driving clicks to their websites. They want real-world impact. They want the ability to do that in a digital advertising context to be quick and easy. They don’t have big marketing teams, so they want the reporting to be simple as well. We took those needs and addressed them in Waze Local.”
Using Waze Local
Waze Local is able to reach drivers close to your location with a local ad experience. There are three types of ads you can use to launch your marketing campaign, and Waze says you can do this in a few minutes.
A Branded Pin lets drivers know your business is on or around their route, and it gives the user more information when clicked.
A Promoted Search boosts your business to the top of search results along with your brand logo.
Zero-Speed Takeover works like a billboard by showing drivers your business when they are at a complete stop.
The pricing for the Starter package is as little as $2 per day and $100 per day for the Plus. You decide how much you want to spend for every thousand impressions, so you are in total control of your ad spend.
Once your ad is up and running, it will give you metrics and reporting with impressions, clicks, navigation and more.
Why You Should Consider Using Waze Local
It all comes down to how much time users spend on their apps. And Waze users spend around 11 hours per month on it, making it one of the most consumer-engaged apps in the marketplace. With 100 million-plus users and growing — and backing by Google — it is worth taking a look.
Images: Waze
