News and Analysis
Brands Are Pushing More Notifications During Covid-19. Here’s Why
According to a benchmark study of more than two billion app installs, recently released by the notifications and customer engagement platform Airship, users are quicker to click on notifications now than before the pandemic began. Thirty-two percent of website visits by opt-in users in March were from direct opens of web notifications, as direct open rates for mobile app push notifications reached their absolute-highest average rate in more than four years.
Why Brands Are Turning to Influencers During Covid-19
Brands are on delicate ground as they look for ways to promote their non-essential products during the pandemic. Stay the course with existing marketing strategies, and it looks like the brand is ignoring a global health crisis. Push too strong with coronavirus-themed ads, and brands run the risk of being seen as capitalizing on the tragedy.
The solution that some brands have come up with is to put the ball in the influencer’s court.
7 Ways Retailers Are Using Mobile Messaging to Connect During the Pandemic
By most measures, it appears that retailers have a tough road ahead of them. While deep investments into ecommerce and steep discounts on existing merchandise are expected, many retailers are exploring other avenues in a bid to connect with customers and offer a sense of assurance during the pandemic. Mobile messaging platforms are being utilized in new and unexpected ways. With open rates close to 100%, texting has become the communication channel of choice during the ongoing pandemic.
Here are seven examples of ways that retailers are using mobile messaging to connect with customers during Covid-19.
Commentary
State of Hyperlocal: Location Data Is Key R&D Priority Now and Longer-Term — AI and Voice on Horizon
Location data and analytics are a key R&D priority both now and in the longer term for companies supplying technologies and services to the connected local economy, according to Street Fight’s latest reader survey. Those companies deem AI and voice technology as two areas that require investment now, with an eye on a later payoff.
Follow-Up Thoughts on the SMB Marketing/Operations Universe
“Regardless of the right package, the key for both agencies and small businesses is to choose best-of-breed components in each galaxy that integrate with each other so that you can add relevant and profitable services over time,” David Mihm says to Mike Blumenthal in their bi-weekly column.
SMB Ecosystems vs Universes: What’s the Difference and What Do They Tell Us?
From analyzing the companies that specifically target the SMBs, this space is better depicted by a series of galaxies that swirl independently of each other and offer the SMB a myriad of choice. The upshot of all this work is that some stars are shrinking and others are growing. Bigger companies are actively acquiring and consolidation is increasing.
Latest Posts
Street Fight Daily: Google Introduces Location Affiliate Extensions, Didi ‘Definitely Going Global’
A roundup of today’s big stories in hyperlocal publishing, marketing, commerce, and technology… Google Drives In-Store Foot Traffic Through Online Affiliate Location Extensions… Didi’s President Says China’s Ride-Hailing Giant ‘Definitely Going Global’… The Where Factor: How Location Data Offers a New Marketing Edge…
How Location Data Influences Consumer Buying Decisions
According to a new report from YP, 37% of consumers won’t consider local businesses with inconsistent information online, and 32% won’t consider a business with the wrong information listed on its website. Even inconsistent messaging and website content is enough to dissuade multi-channel shoppers.
Study Highlights Location Data Uses in Real Estate, Retail Analysis, Smart Cities
For a month, Cuebiq tracked geo-behavioral patterns of anonymous consumers in the Westfield World Trade Center (WTC) shopping mall, right after the mall’s grand opening in August. The study differentiated between tourist and local visitors, and tracked consumers’ favorite brands.
Street Fight Daily: Kalanick Calls Self-Driving Tech Race ‘Existential,’ Facebook Ramps Up E-Commerce
A roundup of today’s big stories in hyperlocal publishing, marketing, commerce, and technology… Kalanick Says Uber Has 40 Million Monthly Riders Paying $50/Month, Calls Self-Driving Tech Race ‘Existential’… How Location Data Influences Consumer Buying Decisions… Any Business on Facebook Can Now Sell Goods Right From Its Page…
GateHouse’s Newton: ‘We Want to Own More Local Newspapers’
The company recently created a division for new ventures and appointed as its CEO a publishing executive with deep experience in marketing and sales — Peter Newton, who will also continue as CEO of GateHouse’s Propel Business Services. In this Q & A, Newton talks about present and future change at GateHouse:
The Fight for Leads: How Marketing Agencies Help SMBs
This post is the third in the “Fight for Leads,” a series focused on lead-generation tactics in four key industry verticals: healthcare, automotive, legal and marketing agencies. Sponsored by CallRail. Rarely do local merchants have the time available, let alone sufficient knowledge and expertise, to manage every aspect of their businesses. With so many new digital marketing […]
Street Fight Daily: Facebook Launches Updates for Local Commerce, Pinterest Lends Hand to Brands
A roundup of today’s big stories in hyperlocal publishing, marketing, commerce, and technology… Facebook Rolls Out Series of Updates to Get Hold of Local Commerce… Pinterest Enlists Publishers, Creators to Boost Presence of Brands on Its Platform, Ad Revenue… Yelp Rolls Out Nowait Nationally to Deepen Ties with Casual Dining Restaurants…
GoDaddy Beefs Up SMB Offerings With WordPress Websites
The new offering gives small business owners a more streamlined way to create WordPress websites, with professionally-built themes, industry-specific images, and a visual page editor for website customization.
Starbucks, Poster Child for Geotargeting, Nearly Loses Battle for Local Presence to Dunkin’ Donuts
Sponsored Content: Starbucks is well-known for its digital efforts in other areas: loyalty, check-out, mobile targeting, and push messaging within geofences. But the brand’s attempts at connecting with local customers dragged its Brandscore down.
As Voice Search Gains Importance, So Does Schema Mark-up for SMB Sites
Like it or not, SMBs have become far more educated and sophisticated with regard to digital media, and are in a much better position to hold their providers accountable. As a result, providers now must look for ways to more cost effectively provide higher quality products.
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Meta Is Automating Ads, But Brands Still Face a Bigger Problem