Editor’s note: Margie Kupfer is vice president, marketing at marketing firm 3Cinteractive, Boca Raton, Fla.

Pokemon Go, a location-based smartphone game with augmented reality technology, is the hottest thing around these days.

Its popularity indicates the public may be ready for large-scale, user-based location engagement, which marketers can use as another important tool to reach their target audience.

With all of the buzz surrounding Pokemon Go, it only makes sense that brands leverage market research around some of this momentum and use it for their own benefit.

The app, which allows user to hunt, capture and train virtual Pokemon creatures, has about 21 million active daily users as of July. What’s more, the average iPhone user spends roughly 33.5 minutes a day playing Pokemon Go. That’s more than Facebook (22 minutes), Snapchat (18 minutes), Twitter (18 minutes) and Instagram (15 minutes), according to Sensor Tower. The game also brings in a whopping $1.6 million dollars in daily revenue.

Personalized mobile marketing experiences

Regardless of how long Pokemon Go lasts, it is clear that consumer engagement is the strategy being embraced here. There are plenty of well-designed Web sites and mobile apps today but the most effective sites and apps cater to specific needs of their targeted users. In today’s mobile-driven world, these needs go beyond information to include an engaging experience that not only keeps them coming back for more but also empowers them to share those experiences with friends and family.

In the case of Pokemon Go, users are willingly spending money on in-app purchases to enhance their experience. The takeaway here is that brands should explore the options and conduct on specific research that addresses gamification, engagement and augmented reality, so that they can identify areas where consumers are willing to pay extra for goods and services if they receive content or experiences that meet their expectations.

One of the most popular ways brands are using Pokemon Go to drive foot traffic to their brick-and-mortar locations is by paying to be a sponsored location or Pokestop. To players, these physical locations are recognizable sites where they can visit to collect supplies needed for the game and gain points to move up through levels. But more importantly, players may find that they need some “supplies” in the real world too and make a purchase for themselves during their stop. Market researchers should consider investigating the available sponsorship opportunities.

The power of social media

Pokemon Go is a social experience. People all over various social media networks like Facebook, Instagram and Twitter are sharing screenshots of their Pokemon Go experience. Showing off their valuable Pokémon and where they found them is half the fun for some players.

Social media’s impact on consumer engagement and purchasing behavior has been extensively studied. For brands who want to leverage Pokemon Go but don’t want to pay for a sponsored location, social media is key. By posting images of Pokemon at your business on social media you will be able to draw more players to the location without making an in-game purchase. Market researcher should be used to identify the best way to engage with a brand’s specific audience.

The future of mobile marketing

Augmented reality is bridging the gap between the digital and physical worlds and making advertising and marketing an experience rather than just a sales pitch.

Augmented reality technology offers new ways for brands to interact with customers – a one-on-one personalized interaction between the shopper and the marketer. The data gathered from apps like Pokemon Go can fuel this customization. Market researchers should look to their own consumer research to better identify appropriate opportunities, with Pokemon Go or with future augmented reality-based games that may hit the market. Brands that are implementing augmented reality technology to their current mobile marketing strategies will be able to provide shoppers with loyalty rewards, offers and incentives that apply to their specific interests based on what they have already viewed or searched for.

Although Pokemon Go is one the most prevalent examples of augmented reality success at the moment, brands can expect to see more opportunities for mobile marketing within this platform in the near future.