Techblog
How SMEs can prepare for the Pokemon Go rollout in Asia
Pokemon Go is more than the latest craze in mobile gaming. It’s a major boon for small businesses, bringing players to stores and increasing sales – now’s the time for entrepreneurs to prepare for the game to rollout in Asia.
The rise of Pokemon Go
Just a week after launching in early July, Pokemon Go was crowned the most popular mobile app game in United States history. It’s so popular its servers have repeatedly crashed as people rush to download it, and usage rates have eclipsed some of the world’s most popular services, including Twitter.
A key factor in the game’s popularity is its history. A collaboration between Niantic Labs and Nintendo, it spins off a popular Nintendo video game from 1996. So there were legions of Pokemon fans long before Pokemon Go released.
Pokemon Go takes Pokemon to another ‘real world’ level. Combining smartphone camera, augmented reality (AR) and GPS technology, the game allows players to see Pokemon appear on their mobile screen against a real world backdrop. Players need to walk around the real world to catch, train and battle Pokemon – short for Pocket Monsters.
This is why it’s a boon for small businesses, particularly those with walk-in customers, like retailers. Everywhere Pokemon Go has launched, businesses are using creative promotions to entice crowds of players in the streets, and convert them into customers.
The game is so far available in Australia, New Zealand, Germany and the United Kingdom, alongside the US. We haven’t yet heard when it will release in Southeast Asia, but when it does, expect to see similar phenomenal uptake. Below we explain what small business owners need to know about the game, and how to prepare for its rollout.
Know your Pokestops from your Pokegyms
Pokestops and Pokegyms are important locations for players, which offer different opportunities for business owners.
Players gather at Gyms to train, battle and hang out. They’re hotspots for activity.
Pokestops attract less lingering. Players go there to pick up items, like Poke Balls, which catch Pokemon.
If either location is positioned on, or nearby your business, you should work it into your marketing activities. There’s no official map listing locations yet, but you can find them using a map from another Niantic game, Ingress, built with the same technology. By searching Ingress’ world map you can find ‘Portals,’ which are either Pokestops or Gyms.
Lure players
Businesses near Pokestops should take advantage of the fact you can drop ‘Lures’ there to attract Pokemon – with Pokemon come more players eager to catch them, which you can convert into customers.
Learn the steps to drop a Lure, and include them in your marketing budget. Lure Modules cost around $1 for 30-minutes, and have potential to significantly increase sales. In the US, Critical Threat Comics and Games saw a 50 percent rise in revenue using lures, while L’inizio’s Pizza Bar gained a 30 percent spike.
To convert players into customers, you need to work Lures into promotions. For example, Grind Coffee House pledged to drop a Lure for every 15 paid drinks.
Capitalise on Gyms
Businesses near Gyms stand to benefit from players who come there to train and battle – turning them into customers requires creative promotions.
Businesses with space for players to hang out, like cafes, can host Gym battles. Invite players to challenge dominant teams, and offer discounts to winners.
Appeal to players’ competitive spirits by tailoring promotions to the teams they join: Mystic, Valor, or Instinct. For instance, CitySen Lounge offered a 10 percent discount for Team Mystic.
Join the chatter on social media
As a social game, Pokemon Go lends itself to social media marketing.
Promote Gyms and Pokestops near your business on social channels, like Facebook and Twitter.
If these locations aren’t nearby, post about other types of Pokemon activity in your area – like Palm Beach Zoo, which promotes different types of Pokemon players can catch.
Use the app’s camera to take pictures of local Pokémon for social media, looking especially for valuable types, using this rarity chart.
Offer charging and try hyper-local marketing
There are other ways to gain from the Pokemon Go craze if you’re not near an activity hotspot.
As the game is battery intensive, one option is to offer mobile charging for paying customers.
You should also consider hyper-local marketing to promote or extend your business to hotspots, like Gyms. For instance, retailers could open nearby pop-up stores.
Request a hotspot and watch for sponsorship opportunities
It’s worthwhile submitting a request for new Gym or Pokestop, if none are nearby – although there’s no guarantee Niantic will grant every request.
You should also watch for announcements about sponsored locations. As Niantic CEO John Hanke told the Financial Times, these will soon be released to allow retailers and companies to pay to feature on the game’s map – with charges per player visit, similar to pay-per-click advertising.
For small business owners in Asia, Pokemon Go presents a great opportunity to increase sales. By fuelling the craze with promotions and encouraging players, you can convert them into loyal customers who’ll remember you long after the hype dies down. Just remember to prepare for the game’s release and:
- Find out if you’re near a Gym or Pokestop
- Make a plan to advertise local hotspots
- Consider hyper-local and social media promotions
- Request new hotspots
- Watch for sponsorship opportunities