News and Analysis

Here’s What Happens When Brands Start Micro-Communities for Digital Engagement

Share this:

“[Micro-communities] foster a collaborative relationship between brands and customers. So instead of spying on consumers through cookies, brands can simply ask consumers for feedback and offer them recommendations based on their likes and dislikes,” says Philip Smolin, chief platform officer at 100.co, an AI-powered consumer brand group that works in the CPG space.

Evocalize Banks $12 Million to Scale its Local Digital Marketing Platform

Share this:

Seattle-based collaborative marketing startup Evocalize has grabbed $12 million in Series A funding for its data-driven digital marketing solution designed for local businesses and the real estate industry.

Live Commerce Guides Retailers to Success in the Metaverse

Share this:

Immerss Co-Founder Patrick Jacobs says his company is working with a number of retailers to leverage live commerce as a way to blend the physical and digital worlds. Jacobs says sales rates with live commerce are on par with or better than in-store conversion rates, and that merchants jumping into live commerce now will be better prepared for the metaverse boom in the future.

Commentary

How Engaging Online Games Can Shape Your Rewards Program

Share this:

My experience managing product for both the “Farmville” and “Words With Friends” franchises at Zynga afforded me critical insight into the lessons smartphone games offer marketers looking to engage with and create loyalty among all types of people. 

Today, there’s a smartphone game for everyone. Regardless of topic, most games tend to follow a few basic principles that are critical to keeping people entertained, attracting attentionm and incentivizing players to return. Using these same principles, marketers can create campaigns that are more engaging, effective, and enjoyable for the consumer. 

Channels Are the New Citations

Share this:

Enter Phase Three. As my column’s title suggests, I would argue that the old concept of citation building has largely lost its relevance, and that thinking of the local network as a system of channels — parallel, somewhat independent sources of consumer traffic — is a more appropriate paradigm for where we are now. 

In all, there are approximately 10 independent sites and site categories that together make up the primary channels where any business should be well represented in order to be competitive.

What Facebook’s Second Wave of Data Privacy Tools Means for Advertisers

Share this:

Facebook finally rolled out the ‘Clear History’ feature, now known as the ‘Off-Facebook Activity Tool.’ This tool will show users a summary of the apps and websites that have shared their user data with Facebook and gives users the opportunity to control what information, if any, is shared with these websites. According to Facebook, the company “won’t know which websites you visited or what you did there, and won’t use any of the data you disconnect to target ads to you on Facebook, Instagram, or Messenger.”

As advertisers, it’s important for us to understand how to prepare for the impact and to keep these updates top of mind as we move further into the second half of the year. 

Latest Posts

Four Years After GateHouse, Brad Dennison Has Become a Local News Rover

Share this:

There’s a new nameplate in hyperlocal news publishing, and just about everything about it is boldly different, including the name—Rover. This combination digital daily and print monthly was launched in suburban Nashville last week. In this Q&A, Tom Grubisich talks with one of Rover’s architects, Brad Dennison.

How Innovation Is Reshaping the Digital Loyalty Market

Share this:

While the number of loyalty program members continues to grow, data from the loyalty, customer engagement, and data analytics firm COLLOQUY indicates the market has slowed. However, a temporary slowdown in membership growth may be setting the stage for the next big innovation.

Street Fight Daily: Google Positions Itself to Challenge Amazon on Voice, New Directions in Loyalty

Share this:

A roundup of today’s big stories in hyperlocal publishing, marketing, commerce, and technology… Ad Buyers Say Google’s YouTube and YouTube TV Integration Will Help It Rival Amazon on Voice… Waze Ads Head Suzie Reider Sets Her Sights on QSR, Retail, and Fuel… You Don’t Need a Paywall If You Have Cool Ads, Outline CEO Josh Topolsky Says..

Heard on the Street, Episode 3: Sport Bikes, Pool Hustling, and Marketing Innovation with Walt Geer

Share this:

What does sport bike racing and pool hustling teach you about being a good marketing exec? It’s all about focus and quick thinking, according to Walt Geer, our latest guest on Heard on the Street.

Report from RhythmOne Illuminates Efficacy of Influencer Marketing

Share this:

A recent report aggregating RhythmOne campaign data showed that advertisers who used influencer marketing campaigns in 2017 saw $12.30 in earned media value for every dollar spent.

TripleLift Partners with White Ops to Fight Ad Fraud

TripleLift Partners with White Ops to Fight Ad Fraud

Share this:

Native advertising platform TripleLift announced last week that it is partnering with White Ops to prevent fraudulent traffic on its platform. The move marks the first time a native exchange has offered pre-bid fraud prevention across its entire inventory.

Street Fight Daily: Google Steps Up Recommendations in Maps, Walmart Acquires Flipkart

Share this:

A roundup of today’s big stories in hyperlocal publishing, marketing, commerce, and technology… Google Maps Goes Far Beyond Directions… Challenging Amazon Abroad, Walmart Buys Flipkart… Apple Is Removing Apps That Share User Locations With Third Parties Without Explicit Consent…

Advertisers Clamor for Enhanced Audience Segmentation to Improve Targeting

Share this:

Sixty-two percent of advertisers, publishers, and tech developers in a recently released survey said they want better audience segmentation to support ad targeting, and 54% want the ability to map customer behavior across different channels.

Selling to Multi-Location Brands: Streaming Video Is On the Rise

Share this:

Suppliers of local marketing technology and services should move streaming video up on their priorities lists and help their brand customers apply it effectively.

Street Fight Daily: Brands Demand Video Strategies, Scandal Doesn’t Affect Facebook Use

Share this:

A roundup of today’s big stories in hyperlocal publishing, marketing, commerce, and technology… Selling to Multi-Location Brands: Streaming Video Is On the Rise… Poll: Three-Quarters Facebook Users as Active or More Since Scandal… Volvo Cars to Come With Google Assistant, Maps Built In…