Placer is committed to providing highly accurate location data and employs various processes and safeguards to ensure the quality and accuracy of its POIPoint (Location) of Interest database.
For a refresher on the term POI, visit What are POIs. For an overview of methods and processes Placer applies to maintain visitation data accuracy, visit Visitation data accuracy
What are the sources of Placer’s POI data?
Placer compiles different layers of data for each available POI - including latitude/ longitude, polygon boundaries, POI name, and type. This information is derived from various sources:
- Third-party data providers
- Publicly available data
- Manual inputs and review by Placer’s dedicated POI team, ensuring the delivery of comprehensive and reliable POI data
How many POIs are available?
Millions of POIs across the U.S. are available on the Placer platform, and thousands of additional POIs are added to the platform almost every week! In addition, customers who are unable to find a POI can request to add a new POI to the platform, learn how to request a POI in this guide.
How does Placer match visits to the right POIs?
Placer considers multiple factors to determine which POI to attribute observed visits. There are two steps to matching visits to a POI.
1. Translating location signals (latitude/longitude) from mobile devices into Visits by identifying clusters of signals around a given location and defining it as a single ‘visit’
2. Matching those visits to specific POIs. This is made possible by combining the metadata for a given POI, which includes information such as type of POI and hours of operation, with the data inferred from the visits such as visit time and duration.
The result is an accurate attribution of the relevant visitation data to the right POI.
Learn more about Matching visits to POIs
How are POIs updated and maintained?
On occasion, information about POIs changes. For example, new business locations open and close, business hours shift, and business storefronts can expand or contract. Placer strives to maintain highly accurate POI data, and we continually monitor for changes to chain locations, in particular.
When a POI change is identified, it automatically triggers a comprehensive update process that includes:
- Updates to the POI to reflect the change, and
- An investigation into the surrounding area to identify and update additional changes to nearby POIs.
These updates generally occur within 90 days, once a POI change has been identified.
If I spot something that needs updating in a certain POI, what should I do?
Geofences for POIs are constantly updated from multiple sources and data providers. However, If you still identify inaccurate information such as a store that had recently closed or opened, or an error in the geofencing of the venue, you can contact our support team to suggest a fix.
In densely populated areas, how does Placer ensure accurate visitation data?
For POIs in densely populated areas, Placer applies an algorithm that considers tighter geographic boundaries to avoid including visits to surrounding locations by mistake, and ensure a high level of foot traffic accuracy.
There are some POIs for which foot traffic data is limited or partial even after applying those unique methods, and therefore the data is not fully processed. This may happen in cases of densely populated areas, as well in other cases. Placer will automatically label such POIs with an indicator (!), to transparently communicate partial or missing visitation data.
Learn more about Flagged POIs and the solution Placer offers for such cases
If a new store has opened or a store closed, how quickly will the change be updated in the Placer platform?
The event of store opening or closing will typically be updated in the Placer platform within up to three months. In the case of stores within big chains, such changes are updated within up to one month. Customers who wish to actively update information about closing/ opening of their stores or vanues can contact their Customer Success Manager or support team.
How can I know if the POI I am analyzing has been verified?
Placer.ai informs customers of any Custom POIs that are not managed by the Placer.ai team. When opening a report for such POIs, a banner at the top of the report will notify that the location in inquiry is a Custom POI.
