5 Localized Ad Platforms for SMBs
How will local businesses win customers back after statewide Covid shutdowns? As small and mid-size businesses adapt to a new normal, they’re relying on tried-and-true advertising and marketing strategies to win customers back.
Tight budgets mean businesses need to optimize their ad spend to achieve the desired results. Annual local advertising revenue is expected to drop 10.6% from pre-Covid forecasts, according to data from BIA Advisory Services, but that still leaves $144.3 billion on the table. Much of that spending will happen on mega-platforms like Facebook and Google, on which many businesses have grown even more reliant during the pandemic. But localized ad platforms could also see an increase in use among SMBs that want to cut down on unnecessary costs. Many of the localized ad platforms aimed at the SMB market take a self-serve approach, allowing business owners to adjust their budgets and adapt their strategies as conditions evolve.
Here are five localized ad platforms that are focused on helping merchants get back on their feet.
1. mFlyer
Long before the current pandemic, mFlyer was a pioneer in the field of location targeting for SMBs. Now the company’s mission is even more front and center, as brick-and-mortar merchants search for streamlined ways to target customers in precise locations. With the mFlyer platform, businesses can create ads that appear on more than 60,000 premium apps and websites. These ads are targeted at users in precise locations to eliminate wasteful spending. Businesses can set up their campaigns so ads are delivered only at certain days and times, and they can track the results their campaigns are generating in real-time.
2. GroundTruth
GroundTruth’s self-serve ad platform was developed to drive real-world visits through location-based ads. Businesses using the GroundTruth Ads Manager can create ads that are delivered to mobile users based on where they are currently or where they have been recently. Businesses have the option to use proximity targeting to reach people around their own stores or around competitors’ locations. GroundTruth can also be set up to target groups based on past visitation. The platform is designed for businesses in a huge variety of industries, including restaurants, retailers, and fitness studios.
3. HYP3R
A location-based marketing platform for businesses, HYP3R uses geosocial data to help merchants acquire high-value customers. Through the HYP3R platform, businesses can identify unique audiences at their physical store locations and target those audiences with relevant digital campaigns. They can also boost customer loyalty with real-time, personalized engagements, along with messaging that’s designed to drive positive online reviews.
4. Native Hub
Native Hub is an online ad platform that businesses can use to promote their products and services in native ad formats. Business owners can set their own budgets and targeting segments, and Native Hub will show their ads on a wide network of apps and websites. Campaigns can be paused and adjusted, and parameters can be changed at any time. While many businesses use Native Hub to target ads by geographic location, they also have the ability to target by user interest, age, and gender.
5. ZettaMobile
ZettaMobile is a location-based, mobile advertising company with solutions designed specifically for the SMB community. ZettaMobile’s mission is to empower business owners with sophisticated tools that are not overly complicated. The self-service platform gives merchants a way to reach people nearby through dynamically created mobile ads. These ads appear across popular mobile websites and apps from ZettaMobile’s media partners. Businesses can measure the performance of their campaigns and change their messaging on the fly to drive more customers into physical store locations.
Stephanie Miles is a senior editor at Street Fight.
