News and Analysis

Valuing Diversity, Gen Z Searches for Tailor-Made Holiday Experiences

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Gen Z shoppers, in particular, have more friends with different races, gender identities, and sexualities than previous generations. They are more likely to be influenced by social media stars, who come from a wide variety of backgrounds, than traditional Hollywood celebrities. As a result, members of this generation value diversity more than other generations, and that value influences their purchasing decisions year-around.

“If you look at baby boomers from this lens, they’re far more homogenous. Millennials and Gen Z are the antithesis [of] homogeneity,” Hebets says. “Brands need to understand that millennials and Gen Z don’t want to be put in the traditional box with respect to marketing or otherwise. They want brands to embrace and recognize their diversity.”

Retailers Wooing Holiday Shoppers Try AI On for Size

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What if e-commerce retailers could use technology to replicate the role of the in-store sales associate, providing people at home with the type of personal attention that really drives sales?

Technology vendors are working feverishly to make that a reality. Using artificial intelligence and voice assistants, like Amazon’s Alexa, Google Home, and Siri, online retailers are beginning to imagine a world where shoppers can ask their voice companions for recommendations on product fit or gift suggestions in specific price ranges. There may even be a time, not too far in the future, when shoppers can get personal feedback during try-ons inside their own closets, thanks to “smart” mirrors and other virtual reality technology.

Holiday Discounts Don’t Necessarily Lead to Loyal Customers — Here’s Why

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When brands go in on discount-focused events like RetailMeNot’s Cash Back Day, which was held earlier this month, there’s concern that the long-term impact might be negative and that brands might be training customers to expect discounts. That expectation can reduce the perceived value of the brand’s products, and it can diminish brand equity over time.

Commentary

The ABCs of Reputation Management for Brands

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Every multilocation brand today has a social media agency or department, and most, though not all, are running some type of local listings management program, whether internally or with a partner. But plenty of brands are neglecting to do anything about online reviews of local stores.

Understanding How Google Measures Store Visits

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Even though ecommerce is growing and brick-and-mortar retail is arguably in the midst of a slow decline, 90% of consumer dollars are still spent in physical stores, and the intent of Google’s store visits data is to help demonstrate the efficacy of multiple online touchpoints that might drive consumers into a store.

Where Will VR Fit Into Local Advertising? Part II

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It’s important to step back and look at the reality of consumer adoption of VR. The technology is pretty nascent and future-looking — but to what degree? That question can partly be answered by original data on consumer VR behavior and sentiments.

Latest Posts

Moz Targets Duplicate Listings With Revamped Dashboard for Businesses

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Multiple business listings can be a serious problem, according to Moz Local’s GM Dudley Carr: “When a business is not where it’s supposed to be or the phone isn’t answered, it has significant brand impact for the business. And typically the customer will blame the brand, and not Google or Bing or Apple for the information.”

5 Buy Online, Pick Up In-Store Platforms for Retailers

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Roughly 61% of retailers with online and physical outposts offer a way for shoppers to pick up their online purchases in-store, and the trickle down effect means more small and mid-size businesses are adopting the technology to make buy online, pick up in-store a reality.

Street Fight Daily: Lyft Adds Multi-Stop Feature, Search Attribution Elusive for SMBs

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A roundup of today’s big stories in hyperlocal publishing, marketing, commerce, and technology… Lyft Riders Can Now Add More Than One Stop to Their Routes… Moz Targets Duplicate Listings with Revamped Dashboard for Businesses… Most Retailers Offer Mobile Coupons, Payments, But Implementation Not Always Easy…

As Local’s Complexity Grows, What Does It Take to Build a Sustainable Agency Business?

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“There are two paths for consultants or small agencies today,” writes David Mihm. “Either be a generalist who’s aware of all the major channels, and the kinds of businesses that are good fits for those channels, or develop an incredibly deep focus in a particular channel, and make a name for yourself as the go-to resource within that channel.”

6 Ways Mobile Shopping Apps Are Targeting In-Store Customers

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More retailers are attempting to utilize the data breadcrumbs that shoppers leave behind when they use mobile devices in and around physical stores. Mobile shopping companion apps that add contextual intelligence layers — and target consumers in the moments when they’re most persuadable — are catching on among national retailers.

Street Fight Daily: Retailers Use Snapchat to Target Millennials, Walmart Buys Jet.com

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A roundup of today’s big stories in hyperlocal publishing, marketing, commerce, and technology… Walmart is Buying Jet.com for $3 Billion and Will Announce the Deal Monday… With Hype Faded, Foursquare Tries Reinvention as a Data Business… Some Retailers Ignore Snapchat, While Others Capitalize with Lens and Geofilter Ads…

How ‘Moment-based’ Targeting Will Impact Local Advertising

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We are now onto the second phase of moment-based targeting, focusing on the combination of multiple factors in a moment to determine when a consumer will be most receptive. To find these receptive moments, an advertiser can identify and tap into many signals that will provide info about the end recipient’s state of mind.

Street Culture: Ampush Employees Driving Company Reinvention

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Ampush employs about 125 people, COO Nick Shah said, and their level of satisfaction with their colleagues reflects the close relationship he has with his co-founders. In a recent company engagement survey, results showed that 98% of employees who responded really enjoyed working with their colleagues.

LBMA Podcast: Qualia + Ninth Decimal, Zagat, Euclid Analytics, and Yext

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Welcome to This Week in Location Based Marketing, a weekly video podcast from the Location Based Marketing Association with Asif Khan and Aubriana Lopez. On the show: Beco battery free beacons, Localytics +DoubleClick, New York & Company + Shopkick, MobileXCo + GreenP, Redbox + 7Eleven, RoamingAround, and Gravy.

Street Fight Daily: Brands See Success with Kik Chatbots, Facebook Demotes Clickbait

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A roundup of today’s big stories in hyperlocal publishing, marketing, commerce, and technology… Kik Users Have Now Sent Branded Chatbots Nearly 2 Billion Messages… On Track to Bring in $850,000 This Year, Charlotte Agenda Says Its Model Works… Jet.com Has Been Trying to Beat Amazon at the Wrong Game,,,