News and Analysis

Does Influencer Marketing Have a Transparency Problem?

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Although the average share of budgets spent on influencer marketing is just 10%, that figure is growing as visual platforms like Instagram, Snapchat, and Pinterest see explosive growth.

The problem? Brands are often focusing on misleading vanity metrics in an attempt to justify those investments. For example, many marketers track follower counts as a primary indicator for determining brand and influencer partnerships. Growing evidence shows that follower counts do not equate to true impressions or reach data, giving brands a false sense of how their campaigns are performing.

As AI Adoption Accelerates, Brands Search for Competitive Edge

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In Gartner’s 2019 CIO Survey, which included more than 3,000 CIOs from 89 countries, AI technology was ranked as the technology most likely to be disruptive. Despite their enthusiasm for AI, CIOs showed a lack of certainty over the best way to implement the technology and get their newest marketing strategies off the ground.

That uncertainty has the potential to negatively impact brands’ bottom lines, and it’s an issue that industry insiders like Cerebri AI co-founder Jean Belanger are working to combat.

Zenreach Attract Connects Online Ads to In-Store Results

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Online metrics, like click-through rates and return-on-ad-spend, can quickly show ecommerce retailers how well their digital advertising campaigns are working. But what happens in the real world? The KPIs used in ecommerce mean almost nothing to brick-and-mortar merchants. In fact, digital approximations can actually cause merchants with physical locations to overspend on certain audience segments, while undervaluing others.

That’s something Zenreach is trying to change.

Commentary

Three Ways Location Marketing Is Changing in 2017

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People are searching differently. They’re using emoji, voice commands, and social media to find what they want on demand through a variety of channels and devices. As a result, businesses need to be more nimble and imaginative in the way they convert online searches into offline sales.

Google Maps Holiday Controversy Reflects Deeper Issues in Local Search

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In cases where community values are not unanimous, public companies are faced with an ethical question, and their answers can help to shape perceptions among users. For many, the removal of a Confederate holidays from Google Maps signals that it is truly a thing of the past.

Why Developing a ‘Near Me’ Strategy Has Become Critical for Local Marketers

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Mobile is no longer just an important or necessary element of a marketing strategy — it’s vital for the livelihood and existence of a brand. And it has led to a critical shift in shopper behavior that brand marketers are rushing to understand and adapt their digital marketing strategies to.

Latest Posts

Openings and New Hires at xAd, Placed, Upserve, and Schedulicity

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Every two weeks, Geoff Michener covers some of the latest job changes taking place in this dynamic industry. This week’s edition includes moves and new openings at Xaxis, Signpost, and Buzzfeed.

Raise Report: Blippar, AppCard, Ninjacart Reel in Fresh Rounds

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Every two weeks, we round up some of the biggest fundraises taking place in hyperlocal marketing, commerce, and tech. This week’s edition includes new cash infusions for ICX Media, Staff Finder, and Mariana.

Street Fight Daily: Google Experiments With Local Services Concierge, Yext Reports 48% Revenue Growth

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A roundup of today’s big stories in hyperlocal publishing, marketing, commerce, and technology… Yext Sees $88.8 Million Revenue, 48% Growth for Location Data (TechCrunch)… Don’t Call a Plumber — Call (or Text) Google Concierge (Blumenthal’s)… Yahoo Labors to Carry On With Core Business While Exploring Sale (New York Times)…

Yelp’s Head of EU Public Policy: Europe Strategy Depends on Google Antitrust Case

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Yelp has been vocal in its disapproval of Google’s handling of search results and is one of the complainants in the European Union’s antitrust lawsuit against the search giant. Street Fight recently caught up with Yelp’s head of EU public policy, Kostas Rossoglou, to talk about the case as well as the challenges faced by European companies hoping to break into local markets.

Case Study: Chicago Photographer Generates Leads with Paid Search Campaigns

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As the digital marketing manager for Christine Waller Photography, a small photography business based in Chicago, Illinois, Conor Keenan uses many sources of traffic to generate leads. His monthly search budget runs between $250 and $500, depending on the services he’s focusing on that month.

Street Fight Daily: Amazon Building Delivery Network, ‘Research Online, Buy Offline’ Economy

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A roundup of today’s big stories in hyperlocal publishing, marketing, commerce, and technology… Amazon Leases 20 Cargo Planes to Build In-House Delivery Network (Business Insider)… Report: For Every $1 Online Influenced by Reviews, Offline Impact At Least $4 (Marketing Land)… Square Posts Mixed Q4 Results, but Promise of Future Profits Boosts Stock (Recode)…

5 Staffing Marketplaces for On-Demand Vendors

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The on-demand economy relies on a steady stream of self-employed workers who are willing to trade steady paychecks for flexibility and autonomy. But as the number of on-demand platforms increases, it’s becoming more of a challenge for companies to hold on to qualified workers.

UrbanSitter Leverages Online Connections to Ensure Trust in Childcare

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Who can you trust to babysit your 5-year-old? For parents, finding someone reliable and trustworthy can be quite daunting. Urbansitter CEO Lynn Perkins grappled with these issues of trust and referral as she’s grown her local commerce service into a national vertical player.

When Will We Be Able to Say That Cashless Payments Have Finally ‘Arrived?’

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The ubiquity of smartphones, new payment technology platforms, and ease of use have clearly caught the eye of many technology innovators and consumers. But why is this the year that cashless payments will go mainstream?

Street Fight Daily: Pinterest Opens Ad Platform to SMBs, Thumbtack Sees $1B in Local Services Spending

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A roundup of today’s big stories in hyperlocal publishing, marketing, commerce, and technology… Pinterest Fully Opens Its Ad Spigot to Every Small and Medium-Sized Advertiser (Adweek)… $1B in Local Services Spending Runs Through Thumbtack (LSA Insider)… Facebook ‘Amazed by Volume of Valueless Inventory,’ Abandons New Ad Buying Platform (AdAge)…