At ad:tech New York 2010, Internet Business Director Casey Peterson explains that the geosocial platform Whrrl has played a huge part in the Murphy USA's growth – and marketers may want to watch out for Whrrl and other location-based marketing opportunities.

Gasoline provider Murphy USA may not be a national household name like Mobil or Exxon yet, but it sells double the amount per visitor of the national average for brands in its industry. At ad:tech New York 2010, Internet Business Director Casey Peterson explains that the geosocial platform Whrrl has played a huge part in the company’s growth – and marketers may want to watch out for Whrrl and other location-based marketing opportunities

The premise behind Whrrl is introducing more adventure into users’ everyday lives. Users (called Society Members) can check in at businesses and add photos, share notes or connect with friends. Murphy USA has used this burgeoning location-based service to put itself on the map.

Murphy is now the fastest-growing gasoline chain in the nation – you may see kiosks cropping up near Walmarts and Lowe's. It sells triple the national average of fuel, and recent analytics of the company’s Whrrl campaign reveal Whrrl users play a big part in this.

The platform has been key in bringing new business to the brand. Forty-four percent of Society Members had never been to a Murphy USA location before discovering the gasoline seller on Whrrl. The geosocial app has also helped foster impressive brand loyalty – 85 percent of Whrrl Society Members have gone to a Murphy USA when it may have been more convenient to go to another gasoline provider.

While the average customer to any national business visits the same store twice a month, Whrrl customers generally double their visits, going to Murphy USA four times a month. Nearly 50 percent visit more than triple the national average at six times a month. Plus, Whrrl users spend double the industry average per visit and 56 percent say they are more likely to increase spending specifically because of Whrrl.

The geosocial marketing channel has also become critical to spreading the word about the Murphy brand. Seventy-two percent of customers who use Whrrl say they are likely to recommend Murphy USA to a friend.

With this in mind, marketers may want to consider launching their own geosocial campaigns through Whrrl or other platforms to increase local sales. Notably, major social player Facebook is getting more involved in the local game – the company announced it would make mobile more social and introduced Facebook Deals today, strongly positioning the network in the geosocial arena. 

Katherine Griwert is Brafton's Marketing Director. She's practiced content marketing, SEO and social marketing for over five years, and her enthusiasm for new media has even deeper roots. Katherine holds a degree in American Studies from Boston College, and her writing is featured in a number of web publications.