News and Analysis
Self-Serve & Marketing Kiosks: The Ultimate in Phygital
Multi-location (MULO) brands have long been using various forms of digital advertising and transaction processing. Labor costs and shortages, combined with consumer demand and love of interactive experiences, have given rise to a whole new category of phygital (physical + digital) options and solutions. At the Summer Fancy Food Show, media and big box buyers were […]
Commentary
How Generative AI is Propelling Local Advertising
The digital advertising landscape has never been more dynamic or more complex. As small and medium-sized businesses (SMBs) grapple with these changes and challenges, they also face opportunities for growth. Generative AI technologies are empowering marketers with intuitive, powerful, and personalized advertising strategies, helping them to save time and effort and compete like never before. […]
How AI Is Transforming Phone Calls Into Data
“This call may be recorded for training and quality purposes” We’ve all heard a version of this ubiquitous message a thousand times. Chances are we don’t even notice it any more due to a form of audio “ad blindness”. Still, if we stop and think about it, interesting questions arise. What are these recordings actually […]
Investing in AI Tools Leads to Better Outcomes for Marketers
The hype for AI has reached a crescendo, with companies across all industries introducing AI tools and endless amounts of news coverage touting its potential as a game-changer. While it has mostly remained a buzzword for many industries, it has already become a difference maker for marketers. According to a recent study, 41% of marketers […]
Latest Posts
Small Brands are Crushing Big Brands on Local Search
As we know, most consumers use their devices to find dining, retail, and other MULO (multi-location) options that are convenient to them and have the products and services they want (as well as the consumer reviews, directions, and specials they seek). However, larger brands (who can afford to invest in mobile local search optimization) often […]
The MULO Hotel is Alive and Well
Summer vacations have ended but millions of people are still traveling for both work and play. Business travel is almost back to its pre-pandemic level, with close to 500M trips taking place this year and the global business traveler market estimated to reach $2.1T by 2031. Despite the popularity surge for alternative lodgings like Airbnb and […]
UGC: A Conversation With Roee Zelcer, CEO of Humanz US
MULO (multi-location) brands and agencies have long used word-of-mouth marketing to build traffic and sales. But UGC (user-generated content) as marketing is clearly having a moment. Brands’ fans are taking to TikTok, IG, digital billboards, and streaming TV ads to promote products and places. Agencies are making bold moves to incorporate UGC in their media […]
Sneak Preview: A Chat With Steph Hadas About the New PR
Steph Hadas is a Vice President at 5WPR, one of the largest independently owned public relations firms in the U.S., and will be one of our featured speakers at Street Fight LIVE on November 7th at Meta’s Chicago headquarters. The firm was founded in 2003 and has an incredible roster of clients — from major […]
The MULO Dozen: August Brands in Review
Who says summer is slow? Not brands. So much is happening this August in the MULO (multi-location) brand and agency ecosystem that stopping at 12 was tough! Have news to share? Please reach out and we may include your MULO brand, agency, or tech company in our round-up or a feature article! Like pizza toppings […]
LG Ad Solutions Proves Screensaver Ads Drive Brand Engagement
LG Ad Solutions, a leader in Connected TV (CTV) and cross-screen advertising, has unveiled a new ad format called Native Screensaver Ads. Available on LG Smart TVs, these full-screen ads appear during periods of inactivity across the Home Screen, LG Channels, and the Content Store. By capitalizing on idle screen time, these ads transform what […]
The C-Store Five: Consumers Love These Convenience Store Brands
As we’ve covered in Street Fight, the C-store (convenience store) is a MULO (multi-location) category that is having a moment—a huge moment. Formerly viewed as the corner bodega or the highway stop for gas, smokes, emergency items, a beverage, and a bathroom break, C-stores are starting to play a more prominent role in the retail […]
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 […]



















































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