Given the popularity of online shopping, it has been thought that brick and mortar retailers are increasingly becoming more like product “showrooms” than places for commerce. But with a new study from Telmetrics and xAd that said 77% of smartphone retail shoppers ultimately made their purchases in-store, the “showrooming” trend does not seem as detrimental to the retail industry as originally thought.
The study, which was conducted by Nielsen, found that only 6 percent of smartphone users actually conducted their most recent mobile retail search in a physical store. In addition, 57 percent of smartphone users expect retailers to be within five miles of their location and the majority of tablet users (21 percent) sought coupons/offers with their device. The low percentage using mobile devices to search in-store and the high percentage seeking location and coupons suggests that the majority of mobile usage is actually taking place at the beginning of the purchase cycle.
In addition, the study found that the majority of mobile retail shoppers are ready to buy, with 55 percent ultimately making a purchase. Similarly, 30 percent of smartphone users and 25 percent of tablet users intended to make a purchase within an hour.
Given the data, retailers looking to combat “showrooming” by matching online prices or cutting off access to in-store Wi-Fi should instead be focused on gaining share of the ready-to-buy consumers that are conducting retail research on their mobile devices.
For more information, check out the official press release. Also, below is a great infographic courtesy of Telmetrics and xAd that highlights the mobile path-to-purchase for the retail industry.
We are very excited to announce that we are partnering with two progressive media organizations, the Local Media Association and Borrell Associates, to host one powerful conference. Join us in Chicago on August 21-22 for Social + Mobile – Show Me the Money!
There is a ton of data and research that shows just how big of an impact social and mobile is having on the local media and search space. Here are just a few stats worth noting:
Of 1,000 SMBs surveyed, 97 percent are using social media channels for their marketing efforts (Constant Contact)
77 million smartphone owners relied on apps to visit local content in December 2012 (Local Search Association)
Facebook app is used more for local business searches than MapQuest, Apple Maps and Bing’s app (comScore-15 Miles-Neustar)
In light of the impact of social and mobile on local media and search, you should join us at this exciting conference as we dive into the dollars and cents behind this recent shift in the industry. Come learn about:
What’s working in social and mobile.
What’s generating revenue and ROI.
What the most promising business models look like.
The full agenda is now available and includes content from leaders with Internet pure plays, TV, radio, newspapers, directory publishers and more. Members and clients of all organizations receive $200 off the registration price. Register here. Also, an exclusive hotel rate has been secured for all conference attendees, but it expires on June 30th. To take advantage of the rate, click here.
While a large portion of traffic still comes from search engines, today’s technology landscape has seen many other viable sources of traffic emerge. Mobile applications, online directories, and regional websites offer opportunity for not only organic traffic, but also paid advertising. During this webinar, learn how local businesses are taking advantage of both sides of this market to maximize exposure to customers. See and hear how CityGrid and Kenshoo Local have partnered to offer a scalable, cost effective local marketing solution that fits side-by-side with paid search efforts.
Kenshoo Local is a digital marketing software solution designed specifically for organizations managing high volumes of locations, stores, small businesses, dealers, franchises, or other entities. From onboarding and development to optimization and reporting, Kenshoo Local makes it easy to mass-manage hundreds or thousands of search engine marketing campaigns and local listings at scale. Multi-presence advertisers, SMB marketing providers, technology platforms, agencies, and publishers use Kenshoo Local to automate their programs and improve performance. Kenshoo Local is an operating unit of Kenshoo, a global leader in premium digital marketing technology directing more than $25 billion in annual sales revenue for clients such as Deluxe, Geary LSF, Havas Media, Haystak Digital Marketing, OMD, Performics, Possible, Resolution Media, Sears, SIM Partners, Starcom MediaVest Group, Tesco, Walgreens, and Xcite Media Group.
It’s hard to believe, but a year has passed since YP officially announced its launch as an independent company. The former AT&T Interactive and AT&T Advertising Solutions units broke off to form YP Holdings LLC on May 9, 2012, forming a new identity as North America’s largest local search, media and advertising company with more than $3 billion in annual revenues. YP is majority-owned by Cerberus Capital Management.
YP’s progress over the past year has been remarkable. Here are some notable highlights we’ve captured here on the blog along the way:
Last March, YP announced that it was the second largest company in the U.S. mobile advertising industry in 2012, with more than $350 million in revenue attributable to mobile, according to IDC. YP said its mobile apps referred nearly 100 million calls to local businesses in 2012, and that click-through rates on the company’s paid mobile listings grew by 100% over the year. YP also ranked among the top 40 mobile web domains in the U.S. by comScore.
Last February, YP appointed former AOL executive David Lebow as senior vice president and general manager of its newly created National Markets Group, based in New York. The new group was created to provide a dedicated focus on developing and activating digital solutions for national advertisers looking to generate local leads.
Last December, YP released its end-of-the-year Local Insights Digital Report, which showed 2.2 billion searches across YP’s online and mobile offerings in 2012. Local search volume via YP offerings continued to grow, with users making an average of 350,000 more local searches on a given day in 2012 than they did in 2011. YP searches via iPads were up 233% year-over-year, while searches on Android devices were up 205%.
Last September, YP announced that Jonathan Miller, one of the world’s most respected digital media executives, would become the company’s first announced Board member.
Last July, YP announced a new offering called Dynamic Store Locator. The feature, a part of its Local Mobile Display Network, allows local businesses to advertise to consumers within a specific radius of storefronts or given geo-fence. The program can potentially reach more than 100 million location-enabled smartphones in the U.S.
Last June, YP launched its “Gas Guru” mobile app, which helps users to find the closest and cheapest gas in their area.
Recently, YP CEO David Krantz spoke to MediaPost about his company’s print to digital transformation, efforts to ramp up in new markets where it doesn’t have a strong presence, activities to leverage growth in mobile, and approach to working with small businesses. The full interview can be found here.
Congratulations to everyone at YP on a great first year. We look forward to seeing what you have in store for year two!
In his discussion “Lost on the Map” at the Web 3.0 conference in Istanbul, Trevor Nadeau, managing director of Yellow Medya, discusses the problems local and multi-location businesses face due to their incorrect or missing business listings. From store locators with locations in the middle of the sea, to major brands missing in digital local search, Nadeau discusses what he describes as a “wake-up call” for the local search industry regarding the need for professionals to make sure local businesses can be found and found accurately. Here is the video of his presentation:
This week, Dex One and SuperMedia announced the completion of their merger, creating Dex Media, Inc.In a press release announcing the news, the combined company said it is one of the largest national providers of social, local and mobile marketing solutions through direct relationships with local businesses.
Dex Media, which will trade on the NASDAQ stock exchange under the symbol DXM, will be a powerful marketing services company with digital revenue approaching $500 million and a near national footprint. The new company will be headquartered in SuperMedia’s hometown of Dallas.
Former SuperMedia President and CEO Peter McDonald will serve in the same roles at Dex Media. He said, “Dex Media is positioned to help businesses across the country grow, with over 2,700 marketing consultants already advising approximately 665,000 local businesses across social, local and mobile media.”
As I’ve previously blogged, the creation of Dex Media represents an important and inevitable outcome of today’s changing local search landscape. Together, the combined company is better positioned to transform its business model across a national footprint, providing local businesses with the innovative local advertising solutions they need to attract new customers.
We congratulate our friends from Dex One and SuperMedia on this exciting news and wish them great success.
For more information, visit www.dexmedia.com or read the full press release here.
Please join LSA and VendAsta Technologies for an exclusive webinar presentation next Thursday, May 9 from 2 pm – 3 pm EST.
In this webinar titled “Selling Social to Local Businesses: What Do They Need and How Do You Scale It,” VendAsta’s Alan Hunter-Willis, Strategic Business Development, will discuss social media’s role in local search. He will highlight the challenges small businesses face when going social, while showing how social can be used to get leads, build fans, and offer customer service. Finally, learn about VendAsta’s solutions that drive profitability, scalability, and sellable benefits for a publisher and/or agency’s social products.
VendAsta Technologies provides online reputation management, mobile site, and social marketing tools for IYP companies, newspaper groups, interactive agencies, CMRs, digital agencies, and national brands. Delivered through a white labelled Business Center or available via APIs, these tools offer online branding solutions that give advertisers a new stream of digital revenue while helping small and medium size businesses monitor, manage, and build stronger reputations.
Following our annual conference last month, “Search Starts Here,” – where we heard from local search marketing leaders from around the globe – many of you have asked us how best to stay up-to-date on the latest trends in our space throughout the year.
In addition to checking back here on Local Search Insider for industry and member news, research and other relevant topics, we encourage you to take a look at some of our favorite go-to news resources. These blogs deliver high quality news and research on local mobile, online and print marketing.
Be sure to add these to your reading list!
NetNewsCheckcovers local media’s transformation from traditional to mobile/online and informs industry leaders of business developments.
StreetFightfocuses on local content, commerce and technology, and delivering stories ranging from the latest trends to new research.
BIA/Kelsey: Local Media Watch highlights industry trends, case studies, and events throughout the year. Also check in for BIA/Kelsey’s signature research.
Screenwerk, by Greg Sterling, covers online and offline media trends – and everything in-between.
During their webinar last week, Amdocs discussed current multimedia selling practices – what is working, what is not – and demonstrated some innovative capabilities to help the local search publishing industry enhance its value contribution to small and medium sized businesses. Check out their presentation below.
For access to all of our past webinars and a look at what’s to come, visit http://bit.ly/LSAwebinars.
According to a press release on Yellow Media’s website, the Board of Directors and Marc Tellier have collectively agreed that Tellier will be leaving the position of President and Chief Executive Officer.
“We thank Marc for his leadership and many years of devoted service to Yellow Pages Group and his agreement to remain in order to assist in effecting a smooth transition,” said Robert MacLellan, Chairman of the Board.
The board has created a search committee responsible for finding Tellier’s successor. Tellier will support the transition process and will remain CEO until August 15, 2013 or when a replacement is selected.
Please join LSA and Amdocs for an exclusive webinar presentation this upcoming Thursday, March 21st.
In this webinar Amdocs will discuss the many multimedia selling practices being used today and will provide insight into what is working and what is not. They will also cover the value of getting the right sales tools into the right hands in order to increase customer satisfaction, increase sales productivity and decrease churn. Finally, Amdocs will offer a look into the day in the life of a multimedia sales person and how to overcome daily challenges using the right sales methodology and strategy.
Amdocs Advertising & Media is the market leader in software and services for the local media industry. With an extensive product portfolio and wide-range of proven services, Amdocs enables local advertising providers to leverage their natural resources to address the increasingly complex needs of small and medium sized businesses. With revenue of over $3.2 billion in 2012, Amdocs and its approximately 20,000 employees serve customers in more than 60 countries.
Today’s highlight was the delegates lunch. Speakers included Sen. John McCain, Secretary Tom Vilsack of the Dept. of Agriculture, Hon. J.C. Watts from Oklahoma, and Vice President Joe Biden.
A good sign of my progress here is my ability to find someone I know, whether it be while waiting in line for 45 minutes to get through security detail, or when looking for a seat amongst the 2000+ attendees. I sat with Aldermen from Evanston, Illinois and council members from San Leandro, California.
I’ve also been very impressed with the “pedigree” of some of the local officials. David Lee of Medina, WA is finishing up his Masters in Urban Planning at Harvard (he commutes cross-country weekly), and Leland Cheung of Cambridge, MA has an undergraduate degree from Stanford and an MBA from MIT. Maybe if I spend enough time with them some of it will rub off on me.
Ultimately, this has been a very productive trip and I was happy to represent LSA and our members while building goodwill amongst city leaders.
I sat with council members and city managers from South Carolina, Georgia, California, and Washington to listen to today’s breakfast speaker, Rev. Al Sharpton. Whatever your political views, there’s no denying that he is a dynamic speaker. He shared this one story about how a celebrity asked him to preside over their funeral to which Sharpton replied, “Well, you better give me something to work with!” His talk was about the importance of living a meaningful life and I couldn’t help but feel inspired.
I continued to attend sessions and receptions throughout the day where I had the opportunity to meet local leaders from all over the country especially Texas, California, and Washington. I ended the day by going to dinner with two local leaders from Washington State: Mayor Conrad Lee from Bellevue and councilman David Lee from Medina. I’ve really enjoyed spending time with some really impressive leaders and sincere people.
I also got to hear from General Martin Dempsey who is the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff and one of only a handful of military leaders who has served in every rank of the military. He talked about the one thing that soldiers must have in order to operate effectively; trust. Similarly, my time here at the conference is all about building trust with local leaders and I look forward to continuing these relationships after I leave DC.
I am at the 2013 Congressional City Conference in Washington, DC hosted by the National League of Cities (NLC). City officials, mayors and city staff from across the country are here seeking support from Congress and the Administration on three main issues: (1) avoid taxing interest on municipal debt; (2) support taxes on internet sales; and (3) implement appropriate immigration reform.
I have really enjoyed spreading the word to local officials about our industry’s voluntary efforts in sustainability and consumer choice. In addition, I am getting a chance to catch up with the connections that I made during last year’s NLC conference, especially with the Asian Pacific American Municipal Officials (APAMO).
I met some new councilmembers from Northern and Southern California as well as Washington State at the APAMO Business Meeting. The relatively small size of this group (see picture below) has allowed me to develop genuine relationships with many of them.
Above are the attendees from the Asian Pacific American Municipal Officials (APAMO) Business Meeting at the National League of Cities (NLC) Congressional City Conference in D.C.
I also attended a joint constituency group reception that included, among others, both APAMO and the Hispanic Elected Local Officials (HELO) constituency groups. I had a wonderful conversation with Mayor Anthony Spitaleri from Sunnyvale, California as we discussed the role of the U.S. in Mexico’s and China’s domestic civil rights and economic policies as they relate to immigration reform.
I finished off the night by going to dinner with a few new friends: Gilbert Wong (Cupertino, CA), Sue Chan (Fremont, CA), David Lee (Medina, WA) and Benny Lee (San Leandro, CA). These councilmembers influence local economies the way our members influence local search and it has been great meeting with them.
We’re excited that our agenda for next month’s LSA annual conference, “Search Starts Here,” includes so many names from YP, including Matt Centofanti, Director National Marketing; Michael Rubin, Executive Director Business Development, Mobile; and Onil Gunawardana, Executive Director, National Product & Marketing. For more information and to register, visit our conference homepage.
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