During the “Mobile traffic jam: poking through the local services clutter” panel at OMMA Mobile, location-based experts spoke about the importance of integrating location-based services into marketing campaigns for retailers and brands. Specifically, the panelists discussed how to take advantage of location-based services.

“We’re at an inflection point with mobile and location,” said Alistair Goodman, CEO of Placecast, San Francisco.

“Companies have been testing check-ins for the past two years and are starting to understand what works and what doesn’t,” he said. “Location poses a real opportunity as a loyalty-retention tool.”

Overwhelming check-ins
Nihal Mehta, CEO of Local Response, New York, also spoke on the panel about the recent surge in check-ins.

“Consumers are saying, ‘I’m here with check-ins,’” Mr. Mehta said.

Mr. Mehta also talked about how more widespread location-based services have become with mass markets and used Facebook as an example of a social network that has recently put a heavy emphasis on sharing daily information of users.

The panelists at the OMMA Global show

Additionally, Local Response claims it generated one million check-ins over a month.

Joe Meyer, CEO of Hopstop, New York, said he thinks check-ins are more than one dimensional for both consumers and marketers.

“Location-based service and geo-targeting goes beyond check-ins,” Mr. Meyer said. “But, knowing where someone is gives a good indication their intent.”

In particular, Mr. Meyer sees an opportunity with navigation and tying location with user behavior.

Joe Meyer, CEO of Hopstop, New York

Profiling users
Mr. Meyer said he believes that in the future, mobile devices will be able to target advertisements based on profiles.

“The same way that profiles are built for Web profiles will be coordinated to mobile devices and real-world locations,” he said.

Rachel Pasqua, vice president of mobile at iCrossing, New York, said that as long as content is relevant, users will be more willing to hand over their location.

“If you can guarantee I will only see things pertinent to who I am and what I want, then of course I will be more opt to location-based advertising,” Ms. Pasqua said.

“Mobile is about the context, not the device,” she said.

Ms. Pasqua also spoke about the crucial role that agencies have to educate brands and retailers about the possibilities of mobile.

“There is a mobile aspect to everything we do, and one  person can’t be the endpoint to it,” Ms. Pasqua said.

Final Take
Lauren Johnson is editorial assistant on Mobile Commerce Daily, New York