National advertisers are increasingly using local advertising tactics online, but they don't know if it's working, according to a new study.
Conducted by Sterling Market
Intelligence and commissioned by local search and
advertising company Marchex, Inc., the study found that more than 40 percent of advertisers surveyed are dedicating at least a quarter of their online marketing budget to locally targeted advertising.
Almost half of survey respondents say that 25 percent or more of
in-store sales were driven by online marketing, while over 50 percent are tailoring their messages for different geographic locations and markets. But the companies are generally confused about how to effectively measure the results and return on investment.
According to Greg Sterling, Principal of Sterling Market Intelligence, national advertisers are excited about tailoring their messages for local markets, but are "all over the map in terms of traffic
sources and success metrics; there's a general
absence of consistent tactics and understanding of best practices for
local."
