ReachLocal Updates ReachEdge to Help SMBs Capitalize on Leads

ReachLocal, a supplier of digital marketing solutions for small- and midsized businesses (SMBs), has added result measurement and geographic identification capabilities to its ReachEdge software.

ReachEdge aims to help SMBs assess their digital marketing processes by providing mobile access to vital marketing information, giving special emphasis to the nature and quantity of a company's leads. The additions to the program bolster the existing version by offering sharper insights into data compiled from online sources (e.g., social media and search engines) with the goal of optimizing ad spend and increasing visibility. "Third-party Measurement" will take into consideration online marketing providers and allow local businesses with multiple offices to keep better track of ROI; "Multi-Location Support" will deliver messages to the most relevant contacts in an expedient manner, according to a statement released by ReachLocal.

The release, which follows ReachLocal's September announcement of a mobile app, comes as part of the company's ongoing mission of catering to small business owners who lack the time and expertise to assess complex sets of data. The company distinguishes itself by not only presenting clients with software, but helping them analyze the data it produces as well. "We [offer] software with service, as opposed to software as a service," says Brent Cohen, vice president of software products at ReachLocal. "The problem with software as a service is that [it forces you to] become an expert on how to put it to work. You can get a lot of the same sort of reporting if you take the time to install Google Analytics, but that requires a time investment and a deep understanding of [Web] measurements. We've [designed] our engine to focus on the metrics that are most important to small businesses."

The release is only one of several of updates ReachLocal is introducing. One of the company's goals for 2015 is to release updated software more frequently to meet the demands of its customer base. Though Cohen doesn't expect the release to bring on many new customers just yet, he says that "these particular features will...reinforce to our existing customer base [which currently numbers 21,900] that we are responding to their requests and that there [is] ongoing development of the products based on the feedback of the marketplace."

"ReachLocal still is fighting some negative perceptions from customer[s] who felt the company didn't come through on the promise of personalized support they were counting on," Brent Leary, founder of CRM Essentials, says. "[This] has opened the door to services like GoDaddy's Get Found."

Still, Leary agrees that small businesses must keep up with such updates if they want to stay relevant. With "a customer base [that is] getting more tech-savvy every day, it's getting harder and harder to get their attention and keep it long enough to build real relationships. Tools like these really do need to be in place in order to optimize opportunities you may have to turn clicks into loyal customers," he says.

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