by Mike Merrill and Tiffany Monhollon
Every consumer is local. They live in a community. They’re engaging and interacting in their favorite places, online and offline. And much of today’s marketing misses the mark when it comes to connecting with local consumers online. In this session, we’ll share practical strategies about how any business - from start-ups to local businesses to national brands, agencies, and franchises - can think local in their online marketing and connect the dots between their digital strategies and their physical presence.
Why does local matter for every brand? 86% of consumers use the internet to find a local business. 20% of all searches on Google have local intent. 1 in 3 mobile searches is local. Google map use is 40% local. After looking up a local business on a smart phone, 61% of users called the business and 59% visited. 100% of consumers are local.
It all starts with picking the right strategy for your business type. We’ll share ideas and examples of thinking local from a strategic brand perspective: Content Strategy, Search, SEO & Keyword Strategy, Local Listings, Social Strategy, Online Advertising, Reputation Management, Ambassador & Engagement Strategy, and Mobile Strategy.
by Glenn Platt and Peg Faimon
As brands finally begin to deliver on the promise of a 1-to-1 relationship with their customers (through social media, mobile, and data-driven tools), it is critical to develop a new foundation for that relationship. This requires brands to leave the “broadcast relationship” and, instead, build a relationship sharing communication, innovation, and the very product/service itself. Insight into this relationship can be found in the structure, language, and use of APIs (Application Programming Interface). APIs provide a set of rules – a language for connecting to data and services. To remix. To build. To leverage. To extend. Many API calls provide explicit metaphors for the ways brands can connect to customers. Generally, the API relationship provides insights into the role of brands in the customers’ life. This conversation will explore these metaphors, share case studies, and work to build a language for better connecting consumers with their brands.