Harnessing the Power of AI in Halal Marketing

Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Geotargeting can be used by Halal brands to reach and message potential markets.

Geotargeting to Locate Specific Prospects

Geotargeting, via Google Earth, Insights, and Trends is a tool that has been around for a few years.  Harnessing the power of AI in Halal marketing will help your Halal brand get your message to the right audience in the right place at the right time.  Geotargeting will help you hone in on and reach people who are already interested in purchasing Halal products and are actively searching online for Halal offerings.

Google Insights helps marketers compare search volume across regions, time frames, categories, and properties.  Enter a keyword or phrase and it will show you where geographically there is interest.

Google Trends is also useful because it enables marketers to find trending topics around their keywords by geographic location. This helps with SEO, content creation, and messaging.

Look up Google Trends or Insights and type a phrase like “Where can I find Halal______?” in the search field.  Fill in the above blank with your product(s) and enter.  Google will display the count and location (state, city) of people who are looking for your product.  For example, from Google Insights we find that people looking for Halal meat are located in NY, NJ, Texas, Florida, Illinois, and California.  This is useful information for marketing purposes, but more specified targeting may be needed.

Once your marketing and sales departments have defined brand persona(s) you can use this information as well as geotargeting to hone in on potential customers who want your product and personalize your messages to that group.

IP Targeting: Zero in on Halal Consumers

Geotargeting focuses on your audiences’ specifics.  For example, it can be set up to target mobile location data of people who go to Halal restaurants, are looking for Halal or ethical investments, attends Halal events, or shop at Halal stores.  Then marketers can go a step further and use IP targeting to define an area where those mobile devices are located. Using specialized software, the marketer can then engage with each device in its targeted location.

For example, a marketer can enter a location like a store on Google Earth, and target every device that entered that store.   A search for back data will help you locate all mobile devices for store patrons over several years.  Then use an IP targeting tracking tool to track the individual’s device back to their home. 

At that point, the brand can relay its messages across all devices and channels to its specific audience.  A simple search for IP targeting tools and providers will display hundreds of companies that sell IP software and provide this service.

For an example of IP tracking in use, consider what search engines have been doing for years.  Search engines use IP targeting to provide you with restaurants, shops, or gas stations in your area.  It is both functional and practical since most searches are location-based.  For example, a person might search for “Halal restaurant near me” and the result will be a list of Halal restaurants.

Advertisers use this technology to segment messages based on the location of their target.  Ads have a more personal feel and will offer the prospective customer what they are looking for.  The same person in the market for a Halal restaurant may also be interested in Halal vitamins, make-up, or meatballs.  This logical strategy and these tools result in more conversions and higher ROI on marketing spending.

An example of this in action could be the following: A person plans on traveling to Spain and is looking for discount hotel rooms and tickets.  They do a Google search.  Airlines and hotels use geotargeting to determine where the person is located and where they want to go.  The airlines and hotels can then present ads directly to the searcher with travel discounts.

Legal Considerations

Before you use geotargeting tools, make sure you are aware of the legislation.  The California Consumer Privacy ACT (CCPA), has given consumers the right to know when their data is being collected and by whom.

Harnessing the power of AI like IP and geotargeting is great for Halal marketing professionals, as it helps get the right content in front of the right people.  It results in high conversion and ROI.  Consumers get ads they are interested in, cutting down on noise and distracting ads.  On the downside, some believe it is invasive and abuses privacy rights.  Marketers should keep an eye on legislation and work within legal parameters.