4 inbound marketing lessons from Pokémon Go

There's one thing you can say about Pokémon Go: whether you love it or hate it - you can't ignore it.

The location-based, augmented reality game is, quite literally, everywhere you go. It is a marvelous example of what it means to go viral on the web and social media.

Marketers can learn many lessons from the Pokémon Go craze. 

Pokémon Go does everything inbound marketing should do. It attracts an audience, delights that audience with engaging content, and prompts conversions on a massive scale.

What lessons can inbound marketers learn from the Pokémon Go phenomenon? And how can those lessons be applied to your own inbound marketing efforts?

Lesson No. 1: There is a real connection between online traffic and real world sales.

One of the most amazing things about Pokémon Go is the way this mobile app has affected real customer behaviors. Businesses who leverage the craze by hosting Pokémon Go-themed events or being Pokémon stops have seen incredible lifts in traffic and sales. TechCrunch reports that a pizza place in Queens, New York, saw a 75 percent increase in sales by paying just $10 to lure a Pokemon Character to their location.

Check out how a $10 investment in Pokémon Go paid off. 

Even if you do not cash in on the Pokémon Go trend, the game teaches a valuable lesson. What you do online to drive traffic to your website or to your brick and mortar store will affect your bottom line.

Lesson No. 2: Play to your marketing strengths.

It does not take a marketing genius to figure out why Pokémon Go was instantly popular. The game has instant appeal for an entire generation of people familiar with the beloved Pokémon series. The lesson here is clear.

Build your brand with each new product by focusing on prior successes.

Your customers expect continuity in your brand message. While they may be enticed by something new and exciting, there is also undeniable appeal in something familiar and comforting. Finding the balance between familiarity and innovation is a key to good inbound marketing.

Lesson No. 3: Timing is critical.

A recent Forbes article highlights the marketing genius behind the timing of Pokémon Go's release stating:

"Pokémon launched just after the start of summer, when kids are out of school, festivals are kicking up, and people are looking for any excuse to go outside and walk around. Can you imagine what it would be like if the game launched in the dead of winter? During a blizzard? The launch date is no coincidence. It's also good timing in a broader perspective; Pokémon is 20 years old now, and fans who were children when the series first launched are now 20-something adults with significant buying power."

Timing your marketing campaigns correctly can be the difference between success and failure. By gaining a deep understanding of your target audience, you can gauge what message to send and when to send it for maximum impact.

A well-timed marketing campaign is a successful marketing campaign. 

Lesson No. 4: Keep it simple.

Though the game does require some strategic thinking, one of the beautiful aspects of Pokémon Go is that it is simple to play. If the app had been designed poorly and the user experience was negative, Pokémon Go would never have achieved its global success.

The lesson for marketers is clear. Keep your brand message simple and consistent. Make your landing pages user-friendly. Remove the friction from your marketing campaigns at every possible juncture. Then, watch your conversion rates soar.

The bottom line

You do not have to be Nintendo to create content that goes viral. By remembering the connection that exists between your marketing campaigns and your real-world results, playing to your brand strengths, timing your campaigns appropriately, and keeping your marketing message on point, you can achieve a positive ROI for your marketing efforts.

Learn more about creating great content that will attract and engage members of your target audience. Download our free eGuide: Content Marketing for Marketers.