News and Analysis
Local Search Association Crowns the Best Solutions in Local
At its annual conference in Dana Point, CA, this week, the Local Search Association recognized the best solutions in location-based search and advertising with its annual Ad-to-Action awards. Award winners, who competed in a field of over 80 entries and were selected by judges representing companies such as Google, Amazon, and Walmart, included Brandify, PlaceIQ, and Vendasta.
7 Delivery Trends You Should Know in 2019
Greater customer expectations and technological advancements are driving big changes in delivery. What’s more, the delivery experience has emerged as a differentiating factor for customers when choosing one retailer over another. eCommerce retailers that operate solely online and omnichannel retailers that offer a physical and digital presence are both beginning to expand their delivery options to meet customer demand. Here are seven trends that will define retail delivery during 2019.
Commentary
Lessons for Mobile Marketers From Meeker’s 2016 Internet Trends Report
The report focuses on several trends that should be of interest to retail marketers and their mobile marketing strategies. For starters, there is less differentiation between products, brands, and retailers. These days, products evolve into brands, brands become retailers, and retailers become products.
Latest Posts
Holiday Shopping Data Roundup: $39 Billion to Be Spent Locally This Year
The holiday season isn’t just a big time of year for retail spending; it’s also a big time of year for retail spending data. The stats indicate one common trend: Purchasing is going to be more omnichannel than ever. Here’s a rundown on some key data points for this holiday shopping season.
Street Fight Daily: Google Bug Buries Search Results from Yelp and Other Competitors, Jet Raises $350M
A roundup of today’s big stories in hyperlocal publishing, marketing, commerce, and technology… Google Says Local Search Result That Buried Rivals Yelp, TripAdvisor Is Just a Bug (Recode)… Amazon Rival Jet.com Raises $350M Series B (USA Today)… Twitter’s Head of Retail Predicts Five Holiday Trends for His Platform (Adweek)…
Beacons to Shine a Light on Consumers’ Murky Path to Purchase
Retail activity this holiday season promises to be more omnichannel than ever, courtesy of the ever-present smartphone. That raises the stakes for retailers in terms of their preparedness and complicates their attribution metrics. With online-to-offline shopping dynamics in focus, this may be the long-awaited breakout year for beacon technology.
Classroom as Incubator: University of Florida Produces National Health Site for Young Adults
Every institution of higher learning has myriad news sources, from official newspapers to social media platforms. Some college publications have ambitions and appeal that transcend the campus boundaries. One such example is The Student Body, which emerged from a class at the University of Florida’s College of Journalism and Communications in Gainesville and now aims to reach a national audience.
Street Fight Daily: The Food Delivery Obsession, How Holiday Shopping Could Boost Beacon Tech
A roundup of today’s big stories in hyperlocal publishing, marketing, commerce, and technology… In ‘Overcrowded’ Food Delivery Market, Venture Capitalists Are Still Hungry for More (Bloomberg)… This Is How Macy’s Will Target Its Facebook and Instagram Ads for the Holidays (Adweek)… Events: Delivering 30-50 Percent Margins for Media Companies (LinkedIn Pulse),,,
RetailMeNot’s Hoyt: This Will Be the Most Personalized Holiday Season We’ve Ever Had
Today marks the beginning of a crucial week and month for retailers, as shoppers clamor for deals and steals on presents for family, friends, and coworkers. Whether in-store, online, or a mobile device, an astounding amount of retail business will be transacted in the next five weeks. RetailMeNot vice president of communications Brian Hoyt said to expect a more personalized, more omnichannel holiday shopping season this year, courtesy of the ever-present smartphone.
Square Deal: Payments Startup Passes First Test as Publicly Traded Company
Square made its debut on the public markets yesterday. After its much-commented-on offering price of $9 per share, which some took as a shot across the bow for unicorn startups, the Jack Dorsey-helmed payments firm surged more than 45 percent in its first day of trading. The pressure may be off Square momentarily, but it won’t stay that way for long.
Beyond Likes: Win Hearts with Emotional Marketing