ionadas local LLC

DirecTV to Offer Geo-Targeting

DirecTV has announced that starting in 2011, advertisers will be able to deliver commercials based upon the location of the viewers set-top box. Prior to the release of this service, satellite signals could only target large regions of the globe. A typical targeting might be the eastern or western half of the United States.

While this remains well shy of the targeting we enjoy with Internet advertising, it’s a big step in the correct direction, and should at least bring DirecTV in line with the cable providers.

Local Ad Dollars Move to Search

Advertising dollars for local businesses are moving from traditional vehicles such as radio, newspapers and television to online vehicles such as local search, according to an article by MediaPost. While the recession certainly accounts for a great deal of the decline of the traditional vehicles, a non-trivial portion comes from the specific weaknesses of those vehicles.

While radio, newspaper and television are powerful tools for reaching large numbers of potential customers, that reach comes at a high cost and with very little audience targeting. Search and other online marketing, however, can be targeted to a very discreet level, and generally have minimum purchases at a fraction of the amount of the traditional ad vehicles.

At ionadas local, we certainly expect to see this movement of local ad dollars online to continue.