News and Analysis
From Data to Dachshunds: Meet Elizabeth Lafontaine of Placer.ai
In the weeks leading up to Street Fight LIVE 2025, we’ll be getting up close and personal with some of our speakers, encouraging them to share stories of how they found themselves in the MULO (multi-location) ecosystem. Elizabeth Lafontaine is the Director of Research at Placer.ai and will share the latest insights on consumer trends, including […]
Ryan Serhant Update: Disrupting the MULO Real Estate World
We interviewed Ryan Serhant a couple of years ago, when he introduced the concept of a “real estate broker office as content creator studio.” His vision appears to be gaining momentum as Serhant expands into new markets. Serhant is also upping the talent game in a legacy industry by recruiting the best property “influencers” with […]
Swiftly’s Campaign Studio Can Empower Local Grocers
When ad historians look back on the evolution of DOOH advertising, they may well say of the present time, “self-service was the rage.” (Apologies to Anatole Broyard.) And just as Broyard opened a used book store in Greenwich Village in the 1940’s and got to know his clientele very well, so too do local grocers […]
Commentary
Fragmented Future: How the Loss of Net Neutrality Threatens Innovation and Equity
The internet has long been hailed as a great equalizer, a space where anyone with an idea can reach a global audience. However, the erosion of net neutrality principles threatens to undermine this fundamental characteristic, creating a fragmented and unequal online landscape. Without strong safeguards, the internet could transform from a platform for innovation and […]
Streets Ahead: Optimizing for Instagram, Local Level Marketing
In this week’s Streets Ahead update, SOCi discusses the Instagram 4:5 layout and algorithm secrets and Bright Local’s views on the future of local marketing. Instagram – Optimizing Your Strategy and Feed The News Instagram recently announced several updates aimed at enhancing user experience and content visibility. a) Profile Grid Enhancements: Adam Mosseri, the head […]
Data Drama: Why Your Insights Are All Talk and No Action
Data has become the backbone of modern marketing, promising brands the ability to predict trends, personalize experiences, and drive customer loyalty like never before. For multi-location businesses, the stakes are especially high. With endless streams of customer data pouring in from numerous locations, the expectation to turn this information into actionable insights seems like the […]
Latest Posts
The MULO Dozen: February in Review
The MULO (multi-location) ecosystem is continuously re-inventing, expanding and shrinking, and enhancing the consumer experience with a wide range of new products, technologies, and ways to buy. Here are the trends of the month. Have news to share? Please e-mail [email protected] and join us in September for our Street Fight LIVE 2025 gathering, which will […]
Netflix Takes on YouTube. Should Podcasters and Advertisers Rejoice?
If we’re “Netflix and Chillin,’” consuming movies, streaming series, and other entertaining and inspiring content, why don’t we listen, watch and learn from podcast content creators too? Now we can. Netflix is entering the podcast market, leveraging its massive database of more than 300M subscribers (and growing). Podcasts also show no sign of slowing down […]
Streets Ahead: Cheeg Sues Google, Terakeet & AI Overviews
In this week’s Streets Ahead update, SOCi discusses the first major lawsuit against Google’s AI Overviews as well as the Terakeet study highlighting the positive impact of AI Overviews on website traffic. Chegg Sues Google Over AI Overviews, Claims Major Revenue Loss The News Chegg, a well-known education technology company specializing in study resources and […]
Church’s Wants to Make Your Day
A new female buddy comedy is playing in theaters, and Church’s Texas Chicken not only has a cameo role, but a marketing tie-in. “One of Them Days” stars SZA, who had her own star turn in Kendrick Lamar’s Super Bowl half-time show earlier this month, and Keke Palmer (“Akeelah and the Bee)” playing roommates who […]
5 Reasons the Media Ignores (or Trashes) Your Brand
As someone who has sat on “both sides of the desk” (as a marketer and now a research analyst, trend spotter, and content creator), I have a unique perspective on media exposure. The right press — online, conventional, or some combination — feeds your public image when consumers search for your brand. What MULO (multi-location) […]
Report: Consumers Have Less Debt, More Uncertainty
The good news is that almost one-third of American adults are debt-free. The less good news is that inflation is on the uptick, and they’re worried about healthcare costs, and poor leadership and government fraud—with 42% of respondents giving equal weight to each issue. Nevertheless, according to Resonate’s Spring 2025 Outlook Consumer Trends Report, U.S. […]
A Guide to Scaling Social Media Management for Agencies
As your marketing agency grows, effectively scaling your social media management processes becomes crucial. However, scaling isn’t just about adding more clients—it’s about doing so efficiently while maintaining high-quality service. The key to achieving this? Integrating the right software solutions to streamline workflows, automate tasks, and optimize client management. This guide explores how leveraging technology […]
Streets Ahead: TikTok Returns, Google AI-Powered Q&A
In this week’s Streets Ahead update, SOCi discusses the return of TikTok and a new AI-powered Google feature for local answers. TikTok Returns to App Stores Amid Uncertainty The News After weeks of being unavailable for new downloads, TikTok is back in Apple and Google app stores. From January 19 until last week, new users […]
Why Disney Gets Phygital Right
First, you’ll hear a lot of the term “phygital” (the convergence of physical and digital) throughout 2025. It’s the theme of our Street Fight LIVE Summit on September 18th. Although the term itself has been around for years, technology and devices have finally caught up to the word. Consumers expect brands to know them as […]
Snack Brand LesserEvil Discusses OOH
You’ve got to love OOH if you’re a brand marketer. It’s location-based, has real-time and locational relevance, and there are no pesky brand-safety issues to worry about. The Out of Home Advertising Association of America (OAAA) is gearing up for the 2025 OOH Media Conference May 5-7, and some esteemed brands will be represented not […]
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