News and Analysis
5 Ad Tech Platforms for Supermarket Chains
In a move that’s been a long time coming, supermarkets are finally switching from print to digital advertising en masse. Printing circulars and paper coupons are being replaced by sponsored search and display ads as supermarkets both boost their own advertising spend and set up retail media networks to allow brands to better reach their shoppers. Amazon paved the way for grocers to advertise online with its acquisition of Whole Foods in 2017, but continued growth in 2022 is due primarily to surging demand for last-mile grocery delivery via mobile apps like Instacart and DoorDash.
Mobile Madness: Roundup on Marketing Best Practices
Mobile has been a hot subject for the past year as marketers and technologists figure out how to map customer behavior and orchestrate marketing in the wake of Apple’s anti-tracking AppTrackingTransparency policy. In this roundup, experts on digital marketing and mobile weigh in on best practices for one of digital marketing’s most important devices.
Commentary
The Power and Shifting Meaning of Local
Urban, suburban, and rural residents have different shopping habits in their “local” areas. Many marketers are investing in mobile location-based ads — BIA/Kelsey predicts US spending will top $26 billion this year — yet as a retailer your goal isn’t just to reach consumers but to connect with them by acknowledging their different perspectives.
Talking to your customers requires a customized strategy that prioritizes location and takes their everyday lives into consideration. Harnessing the power of local starts with knowledge: where your customers live, what they want, and how to deliver it on behalf of your brand.
Now More than Ever, Local Strategy Differs by Vertical
The putative benefits of competing in vertically oriented channels come at a greater cost than was the case when GMB provided a unitary platform for all industries. Simply put, Google is serving the specialized needs of price-conscious travelers or those who want greater assurances when hiring a service professional, and in so doing, the company is creating additional channels to generate revenue through ads. More and more businesses will have to get used to spending their way toward greater exposure to their desired audiences — which is only odd in light of the fact that so much of local marketing has historically been organic in nature.
Latest Posts
Why Local Media Firms Are Banking Big on Marketing Services to Grow Revenue
In an under-the-radar move to grow their revenue substantially, local media companies are putting major resources into developing a broad suite of digital marketing services (DMS). Media companies make this pivot as B2Cs rethink their own marketing goals, aiming not just to reach potential consumers but to convert them into paying customers, closing the path to purchase.
Street Fight Daily: A Major Ruling on Online Reviews; Local Publishers Bet on Marketing Services
A roundup of today’s big stories in hyperlocal publishing, marketing, commerce, and technology… Yelp Can’t Be Forced to Take Down Allegedly Libelous Reviews… Amazon’s Will Supersize Its Second Grab-and-Go Grocery Store in Seattle… Programmatic Guaranteed: A Chance to Rethink Publisher Growth…
Street Fight Daily: Brands Unsettled by Drama at Facebook; IPG Buys Acxiom Marketing Solutions
A roundup of today’s big stories in hyperlocal publishing, marketing, commerce, and technology… Brands More Skeptical of Facebook than SMBs in Wake of Controversies… Acxiom Marketing Solutions Group Sold to IPG; Future of Its SMB Listings Unclear… Gmail App Developers Have Been Reading Your Emails…
Kroger’s Efforts to Connect Online & Offline Experiences Set Standard for Supermarkets
In order to find out more about how the ambitious digital efforts of America’s largest supermarket chain are boosting Kroger’s bottom line, helping the company exceed analyst expectations with a $2 billion profit on revenue of $37.5 billion, we spoke to Ed Kennedy, senior director of commerce at the global software firm Episerver.
GateHouse Media Shows How Media Orgs Can Offer Value for SMB Advertisers
“Most newspapers and Yellow Pages (and Yelp?) are basically ad-selling machines. GateHouse, in selling HR, IT, and financing services as well as digital services, understands that once you know how to sell one service, you can sell (or more likely upsell) any service. It’s critical for legacy organizations to bite the bullet and figure out services,” writes Mike Blumenthal.
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