Here is this week’s roundup of the top news items related to local marketing and advertising, local media, technology, local commerce, consumer behavior and more.
Insight & Commentary
Trust Was a Big Theme in 2018, It Will Be Again in 2019 (January 2, 2019)
LSA Insider: “Trust in political institutions, corporations, internet platforms and digital media is in serious decline. That’s one of the big digital themes of 2018 that will continue in 2019 and beyond.”
What’s Visual Search, and How Will It Play Out in 2019? (December 31, 2018)
Street Fight: “As Street Fight lead analyst Mike Boland wrote in a white paper this year, visual search is a new discovery paradigm in which consumers use smartphone cameras to find out more about the products right in front of them, marshaling the resources of the Web. Think of a Walmart shopper whipping out her smartphone to research a product on the shelf, expediting a process that would otherwise involve either calling over an employee or searching for the product on Google or Amazon.”
Strategy & Tactics
Retail in 2019: Store evolution, tech adoption and what it will take to win (January 3, 2019)
Marketing Land: “Retail is increasingly a stark tale of winners and losers. Holiday 2018 saw the best retail sales (online and off) in six years, according to MasterCard. In-store sales were up as much as 5 percent, while e-commerce saw almost 20 percent growth.”
Voice’s Impact on Local: The Knowledge Graph, SEO, Paid Search (January 3, 2019)
Street Fight: “We know voice will play a major role in Local in 2019, as voice recognition software gets more sophisticated, “near me” searches skyrocket, and marketers wise up to where the voice-local opportunity really lies in the near future: smartphones.”
Stats & Studies
Top 3 Influences on B2B Buyers: Websites, Events & Content (January 2, 2019)
LSA Insider: “Over the last two years, the role of the small business website was a source of debate for local marketers. While some argue that Google is the new homepage for many small businesses, others argue the power of the website goes beyond the SERP. From the buyer’s perspective, the website is a critical checkpoint, particularly in the B2B segment.”
Study: 70% of Social Brand Engagement Occurs on Local Pages (December 21, 2018)
LSA Insider: “Data shows that the average person will spend almost 2 hours on social media every day. It has completely changed the ways that consumers and brands interact with one another.”
Industry News
Three Local SEO Predictions for 2019 (January 2, 2019)
LSA Insider: “Because most companies don’t have unlimited funds to put towards SEO initiatives, this is the time of year when many of your clients are deciding where to direct their digital marketing dollars. How can you help them to get the most impact for their money?”
Discover 8,000 Available Co-op Plans (January 3, 2019)
LSA Insider: “It’s important to kick-start the year off right by gathering accrual information and conducting plan research for your client’s 2019 co-op advertising plan. And Co>Op Connect has a complete suite of solutions available to help guide you along the way.”
