Nearly half of top marketers plan to invest in NFC in 2016

Close to half (46%) of the top marketers surveyed for a new location-based marketing report say they plan to invest in NFC this year. 41% plan to invest in Bluetooth beacons, 63% in WiFi and 57% in GPS.

LBMANearly half (48%) are also interested in using social apps and location technologies to drive customers in-store, the survey found. Location-based advertising (43%) and the Internet of Things (36%) follow in second and third place in terms of areas of interest.

Fresh Intelligence surveyed 253 top marketers in the US, Canada, Germany, UK and Singapore for the Global Location Trends Report which has been published by The Location Based Marketing Association (LBMA). Companies participating included Coca-Cola, Mondelez International, BMW, Tesco and Starbucks.

75% of those surveyed say they believe location-based marketing is an important business issue for 2016 but while 77% agree that location-based data is valuable, only 65% think it is currently accurate. 66% of respondents also plan to use location-based technology in non-marketing areas of operation, such as customer services or public safety.

Overall, the market for location technologies is set to grow by double digits in 2016, the report predicts.

“Our report validates the importance of looking at location as the cookie for the physical world,” says Asif Khan, founder and president of the LBMA.

Next: Visit the NFCW Expo to find new suppliers and solutions