Want to discover how location data helps create better ads? Here's what you need to know:

Mobile mobility data is a composition of data points based on phone GPS signals and other measurable variables. This helps advertisers:

• Place ads where target audiences spend time
• Measure if ads lead to store visits
• Find the best spots for billboards
• Reach competitors' customers

Here's what movement data includes:

• Starting points (the home and work locations)
• Travel routes people take
• Time spent at different places (POIs)

Main challenges for using mobility patterns in AdTech:

• Getting accurate data from high-traffic areas
• Complying with privacy laws (GDPR, CCPA)
• Balancing targeting with user privacy

The bottom line: Mobility data helps advertisers make smarter decisions about where and when to show ads by understanding how people move through their day and interact with locations. However, success depends on properly handling data privacy and ensuring accuracy.

Related video from YouTube

Background on mobility data

Where mobility data come from

Mobility data for advertising is gathered from various digital sources that track how people move through their daily routines. A key contributor is smartphone GPS signals, which provide precise location updates at regular intervals. However, there are several different sources of location data including WiFi, beacons, and IoT. An efficient tool for location data collection is a location SDK. For instance, Echo Analytics' Location SDK collects high-quality location background data, while designed to have a low impact on battery life.

Main data points: Start, travel, and stay time

Three core metrics define movement data analysis:

These metrics come together to give a detailed picture of consumer behavior. For example, GeoPersona allows you to segment audiences based on mobility data to locate, select, and target the desired consumer profiles. 

Data privacy and ethics

Proper handling of movement data must align with privacy laws and ethical standards. Companies need to ensure information is anonymized and collected with user consent. For instance, GeoPersona converts movement data into behavioral patterns while removing personal identifiers.

Some key privacy practices include:

• Aggregating data at broader levels like neighborhoods instead of tracking individuals.
• Requiring opt-in consent for location data collection.
• Implementing regular schedules to delete outdated data.
• Publishing clear, transparent policies on how the data is used.

The objective is to focus on broad movement trends rather than tracking individual users, striking a balance between valuable insights and respecting privacy.

Using mobility data in advertising

Finding the right audience

Mobility data is changing how advertisers pinpoint and group their target audience. You can’t build profiles based on assumptions. You need to analyze people's daily activities to build profiles based on what they actually do. Say you're a coffee shop chain: you could use this data to study morning foot traffic near your locations to identify regular commuters who might stop in for coffee.

The trick is to pay attention to mobility patterns that reflect real intent. For example, you can discover that people who visit gyms are more likely to shop at health food stores. That kind of insight enables targeted campaigns for health and wellness brands, making outreach more effective.

Better billboard and sign placement

Outdoor advertising placement has gone beyond simply measuring traffic numbers. Platforms like CARTO Workflows now use mobility data combined with location tools to find the best billboard spots. Here's how they evaluate placement to ensure ads reach the right audience:

This approach ensures ads are not only seen but remembered.

Checking ad results

Movement data gives advertisers direct ways to measure campaign impact. Instead of relying just on estimates, they can track store visits and how long people linger after seeing an ad.

Taking Echo’s footfall data, AdTech businesses can view store visits that happen after an ad campaign, allowing them to calculate a clear ROI, and compare traffic numbers from before and during the campaign.

Reaching competitors' customers

It’s all about staying ahead of the competition. Mobility insights also unlock ways to target a competitor's audience. Cross-visitation can show which customers frequently visit competing stores. This strategy is especially useful for retailers and fast-food chains, helping them create tailored messages to attract these potential buyers.

For example, a retail chain could study competitor traffic patterns to decide when to run mobile ads targeting these shoppers at just the right moment. Paired with a Catchment Area analysis, businesses learn how far competitor influence stretches and where they might expand to capture new markets.

Pros and cons of mobility data

Benefits of mobility data

Location-based data has been a game changer for modern advertising efforts. By leveraging this data, businesses can see real improvements in their ad performance. 

One major perk of location data is the ability to see patterns of store visits, not just clicks or impressions. Unlike third-party cookie data, this is a stronger measure of intent and opens the door for better ROI measurement.

Common problems

However, working with mobility data isn’t all smooth sailing. Accuracy and quality can be a hurdle. For one, signal interference can throw off location tracking, like in crowded urban areas. Hence, robust Location SDK technology is vital in delivering accurate and quality data to ensure precision.

Then there’s the issue of privacy. Regulations like GDPR and CCPA require clear user consent for data collection. These laws can limit how much data advertisers can access, forcing a delicate balance between effective targeting and staying compliant. 

Benefits vs. problems comparison

Let’s break it down:

The effectiveness of movement data boils down to overcoming these hurdles. Advertisers need to work with privacy-centric collaborators who deliver accurate data to strike a sweet spot between its potential and its challenges.

What's next for mobility data

Mobility data is a core pillar in modern advertising strategies. As we have seen at Echo, transforming raw location data into useful insights brings incredible value to AdTech companies. It reshapes how companies grasp consumer habits and plan their campaigns. Tools like cross-visitation patterns and footfall metrics, help measure the effects of real-world campaigns with granular detail.

The future of location data in advertising

Advertising is evolving faster than ever due to technology. AI-powered platforms are fine-tuning location-based targeting, while faster network speeds enable real-time data processing, allowing for quicker adjustments to campaigns. At Echo, we’re responsible for providing geospatial data at the quality and quantity that matches the expectations of AdTech businesses. That’s why we’ve integrated AI and machine learning within our data processing workflow. But we’re about to see even greater advancements.

Emerging trends point toward new cross-industry uses of this data. For example, insights from retail or urban planning could influence advertising strategies. GeoPersona already shows how movement patterns can refine targeting, and with IoT integration and advanced AI, these capabilities will reach even higher levels.

Expect advancements like privacy-compliant tracking that’s more effective, better real-time analytics, and tighter links between online activity and offline behaviors. These enhancements will let advertisers design campaigns that feel more tailored and contextually relevant - all without risking user privacy or losing their trust.