Since its U.S. release on July 6, Pokémon GO has become a phenomenon. The augmented reality mobile app had more first-week downloads than any game in history. An analytics firm estimates Pokémon GO has been downloaded over 75 million times—and it still hasn’t finished rolling out worldwide.

By combining a popular brand with cool technology that pushes players out into the world to search for Pokémon, the app has gained broad-level appeal. Where most gaming apps are limited in their reach, Pokémon GO has been adopted by old and young, men and women, and people who don’t typically play games.

This graphic from Forbes breaking down the demographics of Pokémon GO users provides some interesting insight into who is playing the game:

The app’s broad appeal mixed with the game’s connections and interactions with the physical world also offer great marketing potential—something that many organizations have already taken note of and jumped on board.

And maybe you should too…

Quick Tips for Marketing Your Business Using Pokémon GO

Here are three quick steps to use Pokémon GO to drive people to your business:

1. Find out what you have to offer – Get the app and look to see what Pokémon are lurking around your location. Find out how rare or desirable thosePokémon may be. If by good fortune your location is Gym or Pokéstop you’ve hit the jackpot.

2. Buy Lures to draw more Pokemon to you – Using the Pokémon GO app, you can purchase Lures in the in-game store that will draw Pokémon to your location. Each Lure costs $1 and lasts 30 minutes.

3. Let the people know – Some businesses have put signs outside. Others have used social media. You could even run advertising. Communicate with people what they can get from coming to your location (“We’re a Pokéstop!”, “Lures from 8-10 on Tuesday”).

Examples of How Organizations Are Using Pokémon GO to Engage and Activate People

Here are a variety of ways different organizations have used Pokémon GO to connect with the app’s users:

1. The Dallas Arboretum and Botanical Garden used Facebook to let people know about their abundance of Pokémon GO riches.

 

2. The Muncie Animal Shelter in Indiana used Pokémon GO to encourage people to come walk their shelter dogs.

 

3. T-Mobile offered all customers who claim the gift (via their T-Mobile Tuesdays app) one year of free, unlimited data on Pokémon GO, as well as a few other Pokémon GO-related gifts.

4. Mad Fox Brewing Company in Virginia offered Pokémon GO players extra incentive to catch a Pokémon while having a brew.

 

5. Best Buy has been all over Pokémon GO. Here’s one example from their Twitter feed. They’ve also opened up their corporate headquarters, which is a Gym, to players at specific times.

 

6. The Tennessee Highway Safety Office used this marketing piece to promote driver safety.

 

7. Amazon leveraged Pokémon GO in their sales pitch for this portable phone charger.

 

8. Zipcar offered to drive Pokémon GO players around Boston for a day. They got a ton of publicity for the effort, including an article in AdWeek.

 

9. Bowling Green University created an interactive map with all the Gyms and Pokéstops on campus.

 

10. The Colorado Rockies promoted dropping Pokémon GO Lures before first pitch to get people to the ballpark.

 

11. Associations and business in Downtown Akron, Ohio, set up an event to draw Pokémon GO players to the area.