News and Analysis
Local Businesses Face Negative Reviews Due to Coronavirus Safety Requirements
Google has taken several important measures to assist businesses during the pandemic, but none so far can prevent customers angry about coronavirus-related restrictions from lashing out at businesses attempting to follow public health best practices or the letter of the local law. “The review space has never been harder than right now,” wrote GatherUp co-founder and reputation management expert Mike Blumenthal.
But there are also possible strategies for survival.
With Walmart+, Retailer Combines Digital Subscription Service and Physical Stores
Regardless of which retailer comes out on top, there’s no doubt that many will see Walmart’s decision to launch a digital-first membership program as a turning point in brick-and-mortar retail and a concession on Walmart’s part that e-commerce is the way of the future, displacing rather than complementing old-school retail.
Marcel Hollerbach contends that Walmart’s decision to launch a membership program points to just how well positioned retailers with physical locations are in the current climate, with the ability to quickly facilitate things like in-store returns and same-day deliveries of items that take much longer to ship by mail.
5 Localized Ad Platforms for SMBs
Localized ad platforms could also see an increase in use in the coming months 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.
Commentary
What Happens When Knowledge Panels Aren’t Actually Knowledgeable?
In the latest of their biweekly columns, David Mihm and Mike Blumenthal explore what they find to be a troubling practice on Google’s part: granting select platforms the power to insert themselves into a local business’ knowledge panel without any recourse for the business or verifying that the information is accurate.
Latest Posts
Street Fight Daily: SMBs to Prioritize Social Marketing, Snap Files for IPO
A roundup of today’s big stories in hyperlocal publishing, marketing, commerce, and technology… U.S. SMBs Plan to Prioritize Social Media Spending Over SEO and Email in 2017… Snapchat Parent Snap Inc. Files for IPO… Data Management Platform Adoption Is on the Rise, but Challenges Remain…
Case Study: East Coast Wings Uses Localized Ads to Fight Against Post-Super Bowl ‘Wing Fatigue’
Fast-casual dining franchise East Coast Wings + Grill created locally-relevant social media campaigns to target consumers and gauge foot traffic results during last year’s Super Bowl. Now one year later, Director of Marketing Maria Capparelli says East Coast Wings plans to continue delivering locally targeted ads and posts.
Moz Local Incorporates Google My Business Insights Into Platform
The company announced this morning that it is integrating Google My Business insights data into the Moz Local platform. The platform, which allows businesses to post listings across the major aggregators of location data, will offer information about how and where customers optimize their Google listings.
6 Platforms Merchants Can Use to Capture After-Hours Leads
More and more consumers expect the small businesses in their own communities to be open when they’re ready to book appointments or ask questions, regardless of the time of day. Here are six examples of platforms local merchants can use to increase conversion rates outside of traditional business hours.
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