Mobile media and Jargon

A number of new terms have come up in the market place since 

mobile media exploded, Jargon like Geo-fencing, UDID etc....

Lets just look at few of them, that have become part and parcel 

of the media veterans and advertising agencies. 

Geo fencing and Geo Targeting
 

These are two terms often incorrectly used interchangeably, creating
confusion in the marketplace.
 

Geo Targeting- This is a broad reference to method of pinpointing an
audience on their location, ranging from as wide as a state to
granular address level.  Geo targeting is possible on any modes of
advertising, by means of selecting location applicable to each
campaign. Since, mobile has the unique capability to target audience
far more granular than any other medium, there are various targeting

Geo Fencing:- This is a more specific application of Geo-targeting
where a virtual barrier is created around a defined area. Geo fencing
can be broad level in terms of state, or a city block. This method is
usually used to trigger ads based on the location of a smart phone
user. Geo fencing is used mostly alongside other targeting elements
like demographics, search history etc…
 

Location, Longitude, Latitude.

When we download a mobile application, there are number of settings
the user agrees upon in terms of his/her personal data. The data
available within these application publishers, there exists a mine
field of data for marketers.
 

Latitude/Longitude:- This method relies on the GPS setting, by picking
up signals from the orbiting Global Positioning System satellite
network. The details given by the GPS, provides mobile ads to be
targeted down to a city block. However, for this method to work, the
GPS need to be enabled on the users mobile, only 10-15% (estimated) of
phones are location enabled at a given time.
 

Cell tower triangulation:- this method identifies all the device
operating within its range. Its accurate only on a market level basis,
and more over marketers don’t have access to mobile data. Cell
triangulation is mostly used as a second layer to refine GPS
information from a mobile device.

UDID: - Unique Device Identifier is a unique  alphanumeric number
associated with a device that allows a developer to track their own
apps. The UDID made headlines early this year when Apple announced it
would reject apps in the iOS App Store that utilize this code. 

The main reason being that apps collect number without permission 

from the users. The UDID means nothing on its own. Its like a driver 

license number without any other info. However, when it's put into 

a database it can be used to track the statistics of the app. This tracking 

data is the crux of how ad networks work.

To sum up, as this medium grows, newer terms with more crisp targeting 

methods and terms will surely develop. but a basic understanding 

of the jargon should hold you comfortably in any conversation around 

mobile media and targeting :).