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How Can Pokémon Go Benefit Your Business?

July 6, 2016 marks the launch of the biggest mobile game in history: Pokémon Go. The mobile app now has more active users than Twitter spending more time playing than time spent on Facebook. It is hard to walk around the city of Chicago without seeing at least 5 active Pokémon players. It is fair to say that the Pokémon Go phenomenon is sweeping across the country. But game players may not be the only ones getting on the action – business owners are finding ways to benefit too.

How To Play The Game

If you are not familiar with the game, a PokéStop is a place in the game where players can find Pokémon and in-game items. Many businesses that have a PokéStop have taken it upon themselves to do a little unofficial promotion with social media posts telling customers to stop by their PokéStop and receive a discount off their purchase. Additionally, users in the game can buy a “lure”, which increase the number of cartoon monsters that will appear in the game. These cartoon monsters are what players need to catch in order to level up in the game. You can purchase a lure for $10 and keep people coming into your business for hours.

Local Businesses Are Already Benefitting

In Brooklyn, a local pizzeria purchased a lure to draw in customers. According to the New York Post, the pizzeria saw a business jump of 75 percent. A family-owned bakery in Collinsville, IL discovered they had a PokéStop outside their business. The bakery started making Poke Ball cookies for their customers who are visiting due to their participation in Pokémon Go. On the first day, the bakery made four dozen and sold them all within hours, which the family claims is unusual for decorated cookies. The following day, they made 10 dozen, selling out again. She finished the week baking a batch of 30 dozen. Overall, it is quite appealing for businesses to have droves of players roaming around their establishment looking for creatures.

Sponsorships To Come

Pokémon Go’s developer says it will soon accept sponsored partnerships to make certain locations appear more prominently in the mobile game. Niantic did not respond to the request of how sponsorships in Pokémon Go will work. It is difficult to say how much a business would make from a sponsorship agreement, however, the popularity of the game could definitely increase foot traffic to stores and restaurants.

Source: Washington Post

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