Gimbal, a beacon manufacturer and mobile location intelligence company, announced the beta release of a proximity data platform that will allow mobile app publishers to visualize audiences in the real world better.

App publishers that incorporate Gimbal’s SDK will have access to a free toolset that, with help from initial partners including the Kochava Collective and Unacast, will help them to monetize their data.

Several challenges face publishers as they strive to collect actionable location data without destroying the user experience. Gimbal SVP and GM of Marketplaces Paul Cheng says that app developers have two options when trying to generate and collect location data.

They can either roll out their own solution using the mobile OS location frameworks with a developer team; or integrate a location SDK and utilize the associated platform to collect and manage this data.

Initial partners the Kochava Collective and Unacast are working with Gimbal and its PDP app partners on monitoring specific locations which are of interest to advertisers and marketers. 

"The data is then used to enhance existing anonymous audience segment information that is used in advertising targeting and retargeting," says Cheng.

"In other words, the data is being used to help advertisers stop wasting money serving ads and offers to people who do not want them and making any ads and offers more relevant to those whom they are being served."