With the rise of the daily deals industry and the growing importance of location-based services and publishing, more and more hyperlocal businesses are trying to perfect a pitch that will convince local merchants that their product is the best vehicle for getting a targeted message out to potential customers. But what are local merchants really looking for in a digital advertising platform?

To find out, Street Fight contributor Stephanie Miles, who authors the “Case Study” series on the website, spoke with over 50 local merchants from around the country to produce our first Street Fight Insights white paper research report, “The Local Merchant: Inside the Minds and Motivations of the Business Owners Driving a $43 Billion Advertising Market.” Combining these interviews and the resulting data with expert analysis, this report is a playbook for anyone looking to succeed in the hyperlocal marketing ecosystem.

The 48-page report features:

• Data from hyperlocal merchants and other sources
• Information about how to use hyperlocal marketing channels effectively
• Best practices for marketing to local merchants
• Case studies of hyperlocal marketing campaigns
• Reviews of platform pitches

Key findings include:

• Low costs, especially upfront, reign supreme for merchants still moving into this sector
• A significant learning curve about the the technologies and services exists among a large portion of merchants
• It is unclear to many whether spending on hyperlocal should be viewed as a marketing expense or as means to direct ROI
• LBS and hyperlocal sites are more effective marketing channels than traditional daily deals within the last mile
• Health and personal care sectors are best suited to daily deals, while restaurants find more success in LBS
• Spending on a single campaign remains in the three- to four-digit range among local merchants.

“The Local Merchant” holds lessons and data for companies marketing to local merchants and for anyone looking to better understand this dynamic area — advertisers of all sizes; media companies and technology companies who have local as a focus; investors who want to better understand the customers of the companies they invest in; and the hyperlocal services and platforms who are pounding the street every day for this business. It is available for $349 via the Street Fight website.

“The Local Merchant” is underwritten in part by Delivery.com, a leading destination for local online and mobile ordering that connects users to restaurants and stores in their neighborhoods.

For more information about this paper, or to learn more about Street Fight Insights, please contact us at info@streetfightmag.com.