iOS 13 Location Prompt: What It Means for Marketers and Mobile Managers

[This is a continuation of the previous post iOS 13 Location Prompt: What’s New.]

The wild, wild west of mobile location is over. Consumers want better service AND more privacy. This trend is most notable with Apple’s rollout of the new iOS 13 permissions – specifically the location prompt.

Companies have a unique opportunity to use location as a competitive advantage to deliver valuable, high-impact experiences that respect users’ privacy.

But first, let’s quickly review the location prompt changes in iOS 13.

What’s new about the iOS 13 location prompts?

If you missed our previous post on What’s New With iOS 13 Permissions, you may want to read it first.

Here’s a quick visual overview of the new location prompt sequence in iOS 13. The noteworthy new elements are the Allow Once option, the location background map shown in While Using and Always, and a recurring reminder that an app is using location in the background.

The opportunity in the iOS 13 location prompt

What some may see as blockers, we see as possibilities. Mobile location can be a competitive advantage for marketers and mobile managers willing to use location the right way.

As the industry moves out of the wild, wild west, we’ve identified several guidelines for leveraging location to win and retain app users and beat competitors.

Got value?

Requesting location is all about the value exchange. It’s got to be valuable to the end-user. No longer will building a rich customer profile be a sufficient reason for allowing location permission. End-users need to clearly see and experience the benefit(s). 

If your app doesn’t deliver compelling value to the user, consider how you might reinvent the customer experience. Is there a clunky aspect of the customer journey that could become frictionless by using location? 

Once you’ve identified the value, is it proportional to the permission level requested? Just because you can ask for Always Allow doesn’t mean you should.

Get accurate or go home.

Some of the most valuable location-based experiences are only powered by hyper-accurate geofencing. For example, accuracy down to 10 meters can detect which lane a vehicle is in at a toll or distinguish between walk-past and walk-in traffic at a grocery store. 

While 100-meter accuracy might work for location-based ads or ‘nearby offers’, it’s not enough to know someone is within several blocks of your location if you need to automate customer check-in on arrival. Customers want the convenience and value that accurate location use cases deliver.

Engage customers on their terms with the accuracy to unlock effortless experiences.

Messaging matters.

With Apple’s new location permissions in iOS 13, messaging matters more than ever. 

Be specific. 
Be transparent. 
Focus on the value.

Review your onboarding permission flow to identify where the messaging or sequence could be improved. For users who have already granted Always permission, consider preemptively reminding users (before iOS 13 becomes publicly available) why and how your app uses location to deliver value. Do you need a pre-ask screen to provide more context before requesting location permission?

Whenever possible, identify the specific benefit or use of location for While Using App as well as Always. Show how the value is proportional to the permission. Give users a reason to grant (and continue granting) access to their location. Permission is never guaranteed. 

Game on!

Games make life fun. And when they’re location-based, games make it easy for app users to say yes to location permissions.

Even if you don’t have a gaming app, gamifying the customer’s experience using location is a great way to deliver a clear value exchange. Unlock location-based rewards, power real-world treasure hunts, or allow users to level-up by visiting a certain number of your locations.

Let your imagination run wild. The possibilities are limitless.

The bottom line for iOS 13 location prompt

iOS 13 brings opportunity. But it also requires navigation. We’re here to help you navigate the changes and unlock opportunity by powering valuable, real-world experiences for app users.

Engage customers on their terms. It starts with a value exchange.