News and Analysis

Report: 74% of Businesses Interested in Using AI and Automation

Report: 74% of Businesses Interested in Using AI and Automation

Was the last email newsletter from your favorite jewelry boutique generated by AI? What about the Facebook and Instagram posts from your local coffee shop?  Years after big brands first started using AI and marketing automation to generate better ROI from their digital campaigns, small and mid-size businesses have finally jumped on board en masse. […]

Back-to-School 2023 by the Numbers

Although Halloween treats are already appearing on MULO (multi-location) retail shelves, let’s not forget that back-to-school shopping is still in season. Depending on where in the U.S. they live, students can return to academics as early as July these days. Although many schools still start after Labor Day, summer vacation ends early in many regions. […]

The ‘Last Mile’ Looms Large as Q4 approaches

As much as everyone loves Amazon, we must admit, they ruined it for other businesses in terms of raising customer expectations, particularly when it comes to the last mile. Amazon Prime. Next day. Same day. Drones. Amazon does it all, and other shipping providers have had to meet those standards to stay competitive. AxleHire, a […]

Commentary

Commerce Content: A New Way to Connect with Customers Online

Most millennial consumers, the generation with the most spending power, grew up shopping by researching a product before purchasing. Nine out of 10 consumers consult reviews before making a purchase, and 56% say they consult at least four reviews before making a purchase. This portends a different way to reach consumers and convert.

LBMA: Placer.ai Raises $50m Series B

In this episode of Location Weekly, the Location-Based Marketing Association covers Snap acquiring 3D mapping company Pixel8Earth, Tracesafe and Plot Projects partnering to deliver workplace safety solutions in Europe, Placer.ai raising $50M in Series B capital, and Quotient launching a “Vaccine Dashboard” to enable ad targeting at vaccine sites.

B2B Strategy: How to Use Video Marketing to Build Your Brand

There’s no denying it now: Video is the future of B2B marketing. Time and again, studies show that B2B marketers get the most significant results and highest ROI from video marketing efforts. Perhaps it’s no surprise that 93% of marketers say that video is an integral part of their strategy, and 99% intend to continue using it, per Wyzowl research.

Latest Posts

5 Mobile Ordering Platforms for Independent Coffee Shops

For those independent businesses that made the leap to order-ahead tech, the financial rewards in 2020 were significant. According to data from Odeko, coffee shops using order-ahead marketplaces prior to Covid-19 saw a net increase in customers with little-to-no drop-off in existing customers this year.

We review the top mobile ordering platforms for coffeeshops.

Email Security for Small Businesses

A secure company email account is just as important for small and medium-sized businesses as it is for large enterprises. More often than not, it’s email-based breaches at Fortune 500 companies making the news, but SMBs are targeted by email threats just as often, if not more.

Street Fight’s January Theme: Turning the Page

During the past few years of that stretch, we’ve segmented our monthly coverage into themes, as you may have noticed. Flowing from last month’s theme of “Leaving 2020” — a retrospective analysis — what better way to ring in a new year than to focus on what’s to come in the next year?

2021 Holds a Bright Future for Advertising. Yes, Really

While 2021 holds a lot of uncertainty when it comes to the pandemic, there are absolutely things that marketers and publishers can and should plan for. That entails making identity, data quality, and privacy a key part of their strategy for the year. 

Cannabis CBD

New Ad Targeting Group: Cannabis Consumers

According to a new commissioned study conducted by Forrester Consulting among marketing leaders in the US, most brands (>75%) are already interested in cannabis consumer data to better understand and reach new and existing customers. 

They recognize that sustainable, long-term growth requires keeping pace with their customers’ interests, like cannabis, as they evolve over time. They also see the value of this massive audience that possesses ideal attributes for campaign activation up and down the funnel. 

Location-Based Marketing Association’s 2021 Predictions

In this episode of Location Weekly, the Location-Based Marketing Association reflects on the year that was and speculates on the year ahead. Check out their predictions for 2021 on the latest episode.

Ads in 2021: IDFA, Universal ID 2.0, and DTC Inspiration

In search of a new identity solution, publishers will prioritize first-party assets, including email, in concert with any Universal ID adoption. This is just one of many changes advertisers will make in the new year to respond to a shifting ecosystem.

Voice Growth Will Further Amazon and Google’s E-Commerce Dominance

For most people, e-commerce starts with a Google or Amazon search on our computer or phone. We read reviews, compare prices, and analyze how something will look or fit in our lives. We don’t know where we will end up, but we browse options from our favorite retailers until we find exactly what we are looking for. 

What happens when we stop using visual cues and start searching with our voice? And what happens when the results that our voice triggers are controlled by the device interpreting those questions or commands? 

The Future of Amazon as a Service

The concept of Amazon-as-a-service, or AaaS, didn’t begin in 2020. But as the year wore on, and people began relying on e-commerce platforms more than ever before in history, the concept took off. Reaching the first page of Amazon became paramount for brands hoping for digital success, particularly now, during the tumultuous holiday season.

How to Start an Online Store From Scratch

Encouraged by the pandemic, consumers have also openly embraced online shopping. In fact, more of them plan to continue shopping online even after the pandemic is over.

Therefore, it’s an ideal time to start an online store, and this detailed guide can help you get started.