Pokemon Go: A Goldmine for Local Businesses

Over the last week Pokemon Go has virtually conquered the world. Since its launch, the augmented reality mobile game has outranked Twitter in terms of daily active users, has been run on more devices than Tinder and has engaged more people than Facebook. The obsession with the game, which prompts its players to go outside and search for Pokemons, has already fostered many memes. 

Inventive business owners have taken the chance to capitalise on the popularity of the mobile application.  Local shops, restaurants, cinemas and other small businesses have been luring customers in with game-related marketing campaigns and in-app purchases. 

If you are excited about the opportunity to turn the wandering players into your loyal buyers, you need to learn the rules of the game.

Look for Nearby PokeStops and Gyms

Unfortunately, there is no map to mark all the spots yet, but you can use a map compiled for another Niantic Lab’s game, which provides locations for all the PokeStops and gyms in the world. 

PokeStops and Pokemon gyms are located exactly like the portals from Niantic’s location-based game Ingress. Just keep your eyes open - some of the portals have not been transferred to Pokemon Go, although you will definitely find the majority of them. 

Where to look for the map? The easiest way is to install Ingress, get registered and access the Intel map here.

Lure Them In

There are various in-app purchases available in Pokemon Go. Pay attention to the one that is called a “Lure Module”. 

Lures attract Pokemons to the areas where they are placed for 30 minutes. Every player who happens to pass by can easily catch the lured Pokemons into their Pokeballs. You can use the trick during your low hours to attract the players and turn them into customers. Be creative, for example, you can make a special offer to the Pokemon Trainers passing by.

Benefit from a Nearby Pokemon Gym

Gyms, as opposed to PokeStops, do not need lures to attract players. Pokemon Trainers go there to affront their rivals and strengthen Gyms belonging to their teams. Gyms are a bit harder to manage, because different teams can win them over many times during the day - each team member entering the battle increases the chances for his team to take control over the spot. There is a number of ways you can benefit from a nearby Pokemon Gym and encourage players to drop by:

• Badges: make Pokemon Gym badges customised exclusively for your business by yourself or order them from a supplier - there are plenty of offerings on the web, all you have to do is google it.
• Keep the score: put up a tournament table to inform your users which team controls the Gym at the moment. Offer discounts to anyone who belongs to the team. You will not even have to keep track of the game - the players will let you know if another team has gained control over your place.
• Socialise: post in-game screenshots on your business’s social media accounts. Do not forget to include hashtags referring to the game to draw more players. The most widespread hashtags are #pokemon and #pokemongo, but you can also browse for hashtags that are specific for your location. 

Follow the Pokemons

In fact, your business does not even need to be located near a PokeStop or a Gym to capitalise on the game. You can simply go to the areas where the Pokemons dwell and plant lures. Set up a stall with your products or services and make sure that the paperwork is all correct - after all, you do not want to run business illegally.  

Make the Pokemons Work for You 

Pavel Shevtsov

Co-Founder & Managing Director

With a passion for leveraging technology to solve complex business challenges, Pavel has played a pivotal role in Magora's growth and success.