# Brand Beacon Report 2024: The Secrets to Multi-location Marketing Success

**Published:** Feb 7, 2024
**Read Time:** 25 min

## Key Findings

- 94% of high-performing brands have a dedicated local marketing strategy, compared to 60% of average performing brands.
- High-performing brands are 15% more likely to focus on customer retention and customer satisfaction than average-performing brands.
- 88% of multi-location marketers are already using generative AI within their organizations.
- 77% of multi-location brands feel optimistic about economic conditions in 2024.
- 81% of multi-location businesses are likely to open new locations in 2024.
- Social media, email marketing, paid advertising, and video are the top local marketing tactics used across all business sizes.

It’s no secret that brick-and-mortar businesses have faced challenges in recent years due to various external factors causing shifts in consumer behavior. This report aims to understand the challenges multi-location businesses face in 2024 and the strategies that drive marketing performance.

## The Key to High Performance in Local Marketing

Successful businesses tend to:
- Have dedicated local SEO strategies
- Have teams that understand the nuances between traditional and local SEO
- Use marketing technology to support local marketing efforts
- Prioritize improving customer retention and satisfaction
- Invest significantly in social media

## Understanding Definitions Within the Report

| **TERM**               | **DEFINITION**                                                                  |
|------------------------|---------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
| **High Performers**    | Brands whose marketing performance ‘exceeded’ expectations in 2023              |
| **Average Performers** | Brands whose marketing performance ‘met’ or ‘fell short’ of expectations in 2023 |
| **Big Brands**         | Brands with 101+ locations                                                      |
| **Regional Challengers** | Brands with 51-100 locations                                                  |
| **Local Players**      | Brands with 11-50 locations                                                    |

## The Multi-location Marketing Landscape: Key Trends

### Looking Back: Marketing Performance in 2023

4% of multi-location marketers felt their performance fell below expectations in 2023.

### The Marketing Mix

|     |     |
|-----|-----|
| 1.  | Social Media: **51%** |
| 2.  | Paid Social: **36%** |
| 2.  | SEO: **36%** |
| 2.  | TV: **36%** |
| 5.  | Local SEO: **35%** |

99% of multi-location brands are investing in social media, highlighting its vital role in marketing strategies.

### Marketing Team Capabilities

|     |     |
|-----|-----|
| Consistent brand standards            | **85%**  |
| Understanding local area requirements  | **84%**  |
| Consistency of reputation              | **82%**  |
| Communicating internally                | **82%**  |
| Understanding marketing ownership       | **80%**  |

### Local Marketing as a Strategy (Not Just a Tactic)

86% of multi-location brands have dedicated local marketing strategies in place.

## The ‘High Performers’ of Multi-location Marketing

### High Performers: Key Findings

#### Marketing Channel Investments

- High Performers are 17% more likely to invest ‘highly’ in social media than Average Performers (57% vs 40%).
- High Performers are 10% more likely to invest ‘highly’ in local SEO than Average Performers (38% vs 28%).

### Local Marketing Strategy

94% of High Performers have a dedicated local marketing strategy, compared to 60% of Average Performers.

### Marketing Technology and Multi-location Businesses

- 98% of High Performers use marketing technology in support of local marketing, compared to 77% of Average Performers.

### Business Objectives, Priorities, and Challenges

**Top Three Marketing Objectives:**

|     |         |         |         |         |
|-----|---------|---------|---------|---------|
|     | High Performers | Big Brands | Regional Challengers | Local Players |
| 1.  | Revenue growth (70%) | Revenue growth (75%) | Revenue growth (70%) | Revenue growth (67%) |
| 2.  | Customer satisfaction (67%) | Customer satisfaction (69%) | Brand awareness (62%) | Brand awareness (65%) |
| 3.  | Brand awareness (66%) | Brand awareness (68%)<br>Customer retention (68%) | Customer acquisition (54%)<br>Customer retention (54%) | Customer satisfaction (63%)<br>Customer acquisition (63%) |

## Channel Investment and Impact

Through assessing marketing channel investment and its revenue impact, it is clear that High Performers invest strategically across various channels.
- High Performers see a significant impact from SEO relative to their investment level. 
- Local Players identify social media as the channel delivering the highest revenue impact.

## Summary

This report emphasizes the importance of a localized marketing strategy and the investments needed to succeed. Businesses performing below expectations should explore opportunities for improvement through local strategies, marketing technology, and by focusing on customer satisfaction.