Geofenced In-App Messages

Grandstand is set to transform how mobile apps engage with users through a groundbreaking new feature. Launching in apps submitted after June 1, 2024, this innovative product allows for sending targeted, geofenced messages without the need for users to accept alerts or opt into specific alert types. This cutting-edge functionality promises to enhance user experience dramatically, providing timely and relevant information exactly when and where it's needed.

Seamless Integration Across App Interfaces

One of the most compelling aspects of this new feature is its versatility. Messages can be displayed across various pages within an app, including the home page, schedule pages, list pages, custom pages, and map pages. This flexibility ensures that the right message reaches the right users at the right time, tailored to the context of their interaction with the app. As an app administrator you have full control to only show alerts to users of the map, the schedule, or the first available page the user accesses in the app. And because these are based on the user location you can make the range extremely small (like a Bluetooth Beacon would behave) or larger (the full venue for example).

Real-World Applications

The potential applications of this feature are vast and varied. Here are a few examples of how it can be used:

• Event Welcome & Parking Guidance: Imagine welcoming attendees to a festival with a timely alert about overflow parking as they approach the venue. This not only improves the user experience but also helps manage traffic flow efficiently.
• Localized Event Notifications: For events spread over large areas, this feature can alert users in specific zones about upcoming activities. For instance, attendees in the northeast corner of an event can receive notifications about a show starting soon nearby, encouraging timely participation.
• Promotional Alerts: This feature can also drive sales and engagement by alerting users to special offers when they are near a particular booth. For example, app users steps away from your booth could receive a coupon, enhancing their event experience and boosting your sales.
• Emergency Alerts: In critical situations, such as a gas leak at an event, this feature becomes an essential tool for safety management. It can promptly direct users in the affected area to avoid danger, demonstrating the feature's importance in crisis situations.

This feature is being made available to users in App Package 2 and above with varying levels of functionality. App Package 4 will have the ability to fully geofence the alert, defining a radius around a latitude/longitude for complete control of who will see the alert. For example, App Package 4 clients would be able to invite attendees at one event on your grounds to attend another event that is starting soon and is nearby, knowing that it would only be seen by that small group of attendees. When clicked it opens details on that event. App Package 3 clients would be able to send non-geofenced messages based on time with deep linking included. For example, App Package 3 clients could announce a new vendor available for only one day and have it open details of that vendor or the vendor's location on a map when clicked. Finally, App Package 2 includes Basic In-App Messages that are time based and can be tailored to show only on specific pages. This is perfect to announce a daily special on the food page or a discounted admission on the main schedule page.

These messages provide another communication tool other than the standard Push Notification Alerts to reach your audience. Standard Push Notification Alerts will continue to operate the same with the ability in some packages to link direct to interior pages or a website.

Grandstand's new geofenced messages feature represents a significant leap forward in mobile app technology. By enabling more precise, context-sensitive communication, it not only enhances user engagement but also offers tools for better event management and safety. As the mobile landscape continues to evolve, Grandstand remains at the forefront, providing innovative solutions that meet the dynamic needs of today's mobile users.