News and Analysis
“Search Fractured” and Healed by Corey Quinn
Join us in LA on September 30th at Street Fight LIVE 2025 and learn what you need to know about branding, search, and (most importantly), growth and ROI in 2026 and beyond for the MULO (multi-location) ecosystem. The consumer decision-making process is radically different from what it was even last year, and thought leaders like […]
Universal Ads, Backed by Comcast, Launches AI-Powered Video Generator
Universal Ads, a Comcast-owned advertising platform designed to make television as easy to buy as social media, has launched a new AI-powered video generator that lets advertisers produce broadcast-ready commercials in minutes. The move underscores Comcast’s broader strategy to invest in and modernize the adtech stack, making premium TV advertising accessible to businesses of all […]
This Hummingbird is Soaring! A Chat With Emily Steele
Influencers, influencers, creators, creators everywhere! “Where is the ROI and long-term benefit?” C-level executives are asking. Founder Emily Steele, is helping to answer that question and will take the stage at Street Fight LIVE 2025 to share the fast-paced success of her business and talk about how the creator economy is evolving, with an emphasis on […]
Commentary
Intent, Context and Attention: 3 Signals Helping Brands See in the Dark
After Google’s cookie drama, you’d be forgiven for feeling like the lights have been switched off. But when discussing what’s next, there’s yet another major topic largely and mysteriously absent – the consumer. How does the public feel about the intent of people-based tracking and profiling online? And how will that help or hinder our […]
Streets Ahead: AI Overviews and Organic Search, Google Core Update Concludes
In this week’s Streets Ahead update, SOCi looks at recent changes in AI Overviews as well as the conclusion of Google’s August Core Update. AI Overviews Now Better Reflecting Google Organic Search Results The News Recent research by Mark Traphagen and seoClarity shows that AI Overviews (AIOs) are now closely mirroring Google’s organic search results. After […]
Streets Ahead: FTC Reviews Ruling and Google Core Update
In this week’s Streets Ahead update, SOCi looks at the FTC’s new ruling on reviews and the Google august core update. FTC Launches New Rule to Combat Misleading Reviews and Ratings The News Fake reviews have been a longstanding issue in the digital marketplace, misleading consumers and harming reputable businesses. In response, after over a […]
Latest Posts
How AI Can Help Multi-Location Restaurants Prevent Another Health Crisis
What if restaurants could spot a health crisis before it spreads? With the help of AI, they just might. McDonald’s burger patties may not have been the culprit of its recent E. coli outbreak, which the company quickly traced back to slivered onions, but customers temporarily took a step back from the quick-serve restaurant’s top […]
Who Won the “Near Me Scavenger Hunt?” (and What it Revealed)
During the lunch break at Street Fight LIVE, our guests hit the virtual streets to put themselves in their customers’ minds (and small screens) and find targeted businesses “near me”. The scavenger hunt, which LT sponsored, worked like this: We gave everyone five categories of products and services and instructed them to use their phones […]
Selling into MULO Big Brand Stores: One Founder’s Story
Every inventor, entrepreneur, or manufacturer can’t get a big deal on Shark Tank. Scaling up via online selling can be exhausting and highly competitive, especially when an inventor/manufacturer is up against hundreds of similar brands. Many food and product entrepreneurs dream of having their products sold by MULO (multi-location) big brand stores. We recently sat […]
StreetFight Live: All Content Creators are Not Created Equal!
Next in our series about the highlights of Street Fight LIVE is an overview of the UGC (User Generated Content) panel. Moderator Steph Hadas of 5WPR spoke before the session about the definition of public relations today and touched on how the lines have blurred between earned and paid media. MULO (multi-location) brands have discovered […]
Holidays 2024 Installment 5: Elizabeth Lafontaine Predicts the Spending Future
Elizabeth Lafontaine, Director of Research at Placer.ai, is joining the virtual panel of MULO (multi-location) experts who are discussing consumer shopping behavior and marketing trends for this holiday season. Please contact me if you have predictions for this holiday season or 2025! What is your #1 prediction for holiday shopping season? “One prediction for the […]
Streets Ahead: Meta’s Threads and Instagram Video Quality
In this week’s Streets Ahead update, SOCi discusses the continued growth of the Meta’s Threads platform and the Instagram move to adjust video quality based on popularity Threads Rapid Rise: 275M Users and Counting The News Meta’s Threads app, emerging as a competitor to X (formerly Twitter), has rapidly grown, now boasting 275 million monthly […]
That Damn Retail Music May Actually Boost Sales!
As the holiday season approaches, we can expect to hear Mariah Carey blasting from speakers at many MULO (multi-location) businesses. A new study reveals that holiday music does impact spending. In fact, it can boost retail ticket size by as much as 42%! Mood Media found that: 41% of shoppers feel nostalgic, and 29% feel relaxed […]
Street Fight LIVE Insights: Are you Experienced?
For those OGs and rock fans, the title of this post pays homage to Jimi Hendrix. (It was the name of his award-winning album back in 1967!). And, like a great Hendrix guitar solo, the notion of experiences is timeless. That concept was reinforced at our opening session at Street Fight LIVE, led by Nick […]
From Pumpkin Spice to Prime Days: The Erosion of the Traditional Shopping Calendar
For years, shopping seasons were predictable. Black Friday, Back to School, and the holiday season provided distinct markers for consumers and retailers alike. Today, these events have blurred, creating an “always-on” shopping environment. Seasonal promotions now begin months ahead – Pumpkin Spice Lattes in August, Christmas decorations in September, and multiple annual Prime Days. This […]
Holidays 2024 Installment 4: Megan Hastings Predicts the Spending Future
Megan Hastings is Head of Customer Insight Strategy at Quantum Metric. The company specializes in analyzing the customer journey. And, as we know, that journey includes lots of retail visits for holiday gifting this time of year! And, according to Hastings, lots of visits to that mobile screen! Here’s the latest in our Holiday Predictions […]
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