Integrating the human element with full-service local digital platforms will power success
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Local is having a moment, and the numbers back that up: 46 percent of all searches on Google are for local information. This represents an incredible opportunity for brands and marketers to focus on local experiences and develop tactics that will position them to win. The critical elements that make up an integrated local experience include local listings, store pages, reviews, local social media, content and paid media. Brands that only focus on one area of the local experience could be missing the big picture and fail to deliver on customer expectations.
This explosion of interest in local is driving innovation in the ad tech space. However, this innovation is resulting in fragmentation as providers and platforms focus on particular niches. In turn, this fragmentation makes it difficult for brands to deliver unified brand experiences. Self-serve platforms typically address pieces of local search in isolation, but there is a huge benefit in stitching together a fully encompassing local program and connecting those local experiences back up to the enterprise brand. While it is true that technology can help with a lot of these pieces, there is still a need for a partner that has both the technological capabilities and human capital to provide the strategic “glue” of a successful local campaign.
Technology needs people to activate it. For example, numerous platforms allow marketers to post to Facebook or Google, but the service side of deciding what to post cannot be automated. Investments in technology without the expertise to refine, customize and convey a story are likely to lead to frustration. Content and experiences that deliver performance usually don’t result from the technology it was built on but from the thought and understanding of the market.
