What is a realistic ROI expectation for a first geofencing campaign?

For a well-executed first campaign with competitor conquesting as the primary tactic, a 3-8x ROAS is a realistic expectation for most industries. High-value categories (healthcare, legal, automotive) can achieve 20-60x ROAS due to large transaction values.

How long does it take to see ROI from geofencing?

For high-frequency categories (restaurants, retail), ROI can be measured within 30 days. For considered-purchase categories (automotive, healthcare, financial services), allow 60-90 days to capture the full consideration-to-conversion cycle.

What is the minimum campaign budget to see meaningful ROI?

Most industries require a minimum of $2,000-$3,000/month to generate enough impressions and audience size for statistically valid results. Below this threshold, audience sizes are too small for reliable attribution.

How do I calculate geofencing ROAS for my business?

ROAS = Total Revenue Attributed to Campaign / Total Ad Spend. For businesses with long customer lifetimes, use lifetime value rather than first-transaction value to calculate ROAS. This is especially important for subscription businesses, healthcare practices, and financial services.

Are the case study results typical or exceptional?

The case studies presented represent well-executed campaigns with strong creative, appropriate location selection, and proper measurement. Average campaigns may perform 30-50% below these benchmarks. Poor campaign setup (wrong locations, weak creative, no measurement) can produce near-zero ROI.

Geofencing ROI: Real Case Studies and Results Across 8 Industries

What Real Geofencing ROI Looks Like

The most common question from marketers evaluating geofencing is simple: does it actually work? The answer, based on campaign data across thousands of campaigns and multiple industries, is yes — but with significant variation based on industry, tactic, creative quality, and measurement approach.

This article presents real case study results across 8 industries, with specific metrics that illustrate both the potential and the realistic expectations for geofencing campaigns.

Case Study 1: Automotive Dealership

Campaign: Competitor dealership conquesting for a regional Toyota dealer. Geofenced 6 competitor dealerships within 15 miles. 90-day campaign, $12,000 budget.

Results: 847,000 impressions served. 0.38% CTR (3,218 clicks). 142 incremental showroom visits attributed to campaign. 23 vehicle sales attributed to geofencing-influenced visits. Average vehicle gross profit: $3,200. Total attributed revenue: $73,600. ROAS: 6.1x.

Case Study 2: Regional Hospital System

Campaign: Primary care patient acquisition for a 3-hospital system. Geofenced competitor hospital campuses, urgent care centers, and employer health fairs. 6-month campaign, $45,000 budget.

Results: 2.1M impressions. 0.31% CTR. 312 new patient appointments attributed to campaign. Average new patient lifetime value: $4,200. Total attributed lifetime value: $1.3M. ROAS: 29x.

Case Study 3: Fast-Casual Restaurant Chain

Campaign: Competitor conquesting for a 12-location fast-casual chain. Geofenced 28 competitor locations across 4 markets. 60-day campaign, $18,000 budget.

Results: 1.4M impressions. 0.42% CTR. 2,847 incremental store visits. Average check: $14.50. Total attributed revenue: $41,282. ROAS: 2.3x (direct). Long-term ROAS (repeat visits over 12 months): 8.7x.

Case Study 4: Credit Union

Campaign: Auto loan acquisition targeting car dealerships. Geofenced 34 dealerships in a 3-county market. 90-day campaign, $8,500 budget.

Results: 620,000 impressions. 0.29% CTR. 87 auto loan applications attributed to campaign. 62 loans funded. Average loan balance: $28,400. Average net interest income over loan life: $3,200. Total attributed NII: $198,400. ROAS: 23x.

Case Study 5: Law Firm (Personal Injury)

Campaign: Patient acquisition targeting hospital ERs and urgent care centers. 12 locations geofenced. 90-day campaign, $9,000 budget.

Results: 780,000 impressions. 0.33% CTR. 94 consultation requests. 31 retained clients. Average case value (attorney fees): $18,500. Total attributed revenue: $573,500. ROAS: 63x.

Case Study 6: Charter School

Campaign: Enrollment campaign targeting competitor school open houses and residential neighborhoods. 8-week campaign, $6,500 budget.

Results: 520,000 impressions. 0.28% CTR. 847 website visits. 124 information request form submissions. 38 enrollment applications. 22 new students enrolled. Average per-pupil revenue: $9,200. Total attributed revenue: $202,400. ROAS: 31x.

Case Study 7: Luxury Spa

Campaign: Bridal season campaign targeting bridal boutiques and wedding venues. 4-month campaign, $4,200 budget.

Results: 340,000 impressions. 0.45% CTR. 67 new client bookings. 28 bridal party packages booked. Average bridal package value: $1,850. Average new client lifetime value: $2,400. Total attributed revenue: $119,000. ROAS: 28x.

Case Study 8: Staffing Agency

Campaign: Candidate acquisition targeting manufacturing facilities and competitor staffing offices. 60-day campaign, $7,800 budget.

Results: 680,000 impressions. 0.31% CTR. 312 application submissions. 89 qualified placements. Average placement fee: $3,200. Total attributed revenue: $284,800. ROAS: 36x.

Key Lessons Across All Case Studies

Several patterns emerge consistently across these case studies. Competitor conquesting delivers the highest ROI in every industry. High-value categories (healthcare, legal, financial services) deliver the highest absolute ROAS due to large transaction values. Longer attribution windows (90+ days) are essential for accurately measuring ROI in considered-purchase categories. Campaigns that combine geofencing with retargeting consistently outperform single-channel campaigns.