News and Analysis
Location-Based Search Disrupts Brand-Centric Theory of Marketing
Building a brand will never stop being essential for companies with brick-and-mortar locations hoping to secure the dollars of nearby consumers. But a new report from location marketing firm Uberall suggests the rise of location-based or “near me” search is undermining the power of branding alone, increasing the importance of optimizing for searches in which consumers are simply looking for the closest, most convenient option while on the go.
Covid-19 Accelerates Online-Offline Retail Convergence
The coronavirus pandemic has accelerated the offline-to-online convergence in retail, leading to a huge shift in the way people shop over a short period of time. Shelter-in-place orders have forced shoppers to purchase the majority of their goods online, and it’s made retailers rethink the way they’ll operate in the post-pandemic world.
Big0-box retailers have beefed up their ecommerce divisions, and we’ve seen dozens of major chains with new curbside pickup options. Some types of retail environments have done better than others. Hardware stores, like Home Depot and Lowe’s, have found themselves categorized as “essential” businesses, and they’ve been able to remain open in many areas with little adaptation necessary. The transition has been harder for retailers in high-touch categories, like clothing, and for those independent operators that didn’t have websites with ecommerce capabilities in place before the pandemic began.
What Comes Next For Businesses After Covid-19 Shutdowns?
As states around the country begin to reopen their economies, local businesses are looking anywhere they can for guidance. County health departments are issuing advisories about proper social distancing and sanitation practices, but what about the technology upgrades businesses might need when they reopen after their pandemic shutdowns? How might business contend with changes in optimal inventory levels if shoppers continue to buy in bulk?
Commentary
The New Face of Reputation Management: Photos, UGC Rise in Prominence
As non-review content grows in prominence, brands and small businesses with be forced to reckon with it. Like reviews, such content both reflects and shapes a brand’s reputation. Unfortunately, many brands are still behind when it comes to engaging with local reviews, so these new developments will represent an even heftier challenge when it comes to crafting an effective and scalable strategy. Brands who neglect UGC in local will suffer greatly in comparison with those who learn how to engage.
Latest Posts
Street Fight Daily: Digital Advertising Booms in 2016, CloudTags Boosts Brick-and-Mortar Businesses
A roundup of today’s big stories in hyperlocal publishing, marketing, commerce, and technology… Digital Advertising Grew Double Digits Again to Hit $17.6 Billion in Q3… CloudTags Helps Brick-and-Mortar Stores Become ‘Connected’ Businesses… Facebook Messenger for Web Now Allows Search in Conversations…
Street Fight Staff and Friends Predict 2017’s Top Stories (Part One)
As 2016 draws to a close, we’ve once again asked Street Fight staffers and columnists to look into their crystal ball and offer prognostications for what they think will be the biggest story (or stories) in local in 2017. We’ll be running their outlooks in two installments, the first today and the second tomorrow.
Street Fight Daily: GasBuddy’s Location-Based Strategy, Voice-Assisted Shopping On the Rise
A roundup of today’s big stories in hyperlocal publishing, marketing, commerce, and technology… GasBuddy Leverages Location-Based Marketing to Drive Purchases at Gas Stations… Mobile Shoppers Turn to Virtual Voice Assistants… Facebook, Google, Consolidation: What Drove Media Deals in 2016…
How Wearables Are Changing Perceptions About Location Privacy
While firms that collect location data through mobile apps were once viewed as pariahs, a shift in attitudes has more consumers turning on location services for apps and taking advantage of the benefits that sharing this data can bring. Behind the changing attitude is a growing interest in wearables.
Predictions 2017: Attribution Is Next
Sponsored Content: The companies who prove that their media is better at driving in-store visits will reap the benefits. Measurement will not come from the vendor itself but rather from third-party measurement firms decoupled both from the buying and selling of advertising and from the platforms on which the media runs.
Street Fight Daily: Here Brings Location Insights to China, Brick-and-Mortar Holiday Strategy
A roundup of today’s big stories in hyperlocal publishing, marketing, commerce, and technology… Mapping Service Here Looks to Bring Location Insights, Mapping Service to China … A Brick-and-Mortar Advantage: Capitalizing on Returns to Make More Sales… Automation Gives Advertising a Moral Struggle: Is Online Reach Worth the Hurt?…
Despite Stumble in Raleigh, Will The Agenda Be Part of ‘New Localism’?
“I’m learning that the success we have in Charlotte isn’t scaleable to other distinct geographies,” said founder Ted Williams. “I’ve become convinced that the key to financial success for an organization like ours is providing a high degree of advertiser customization and customer service. “
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