Universal Business Listing Launches Co-op Local Search Marketing Service for Brands and Retailers

CHARLOTTE, N.C., Sept. 13, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- Universal Business Listing – the leader in local search listings management – announced a new program to help manufacturers, brand managers and co-operative marketers ensure their brands are mentioned accurately and uniformly in local retailer listings online.

In co-operative marketing programs, manufacturers provide trade promotion budgets to their dealers to advertise in local markets. Although there are hundreds of these programs totaling over a billion dollars in marketing expenditure in the U.S. each year, they have traditionally been used for print newspapers, yellow pages, and broadcast media.

According to UBL president Chris Travers, there has been an increasing trend for marketers to permit digital promotions as approved uses of these funds, including web advertising and search engine optimization.

"In recent months, UBL has already successfully completed business listing management services under co-op marketing budgets, in association with large interactive agencies familiar with these programs," said Travers. "The brand wins by getting included in millions of search results shown to customers, and the retailer wins by not having to bear the costs."

In one recent instance, the business listing management model was presented to the manufacturer, and the manufacturer fully funded the service for its local retailers. Many similar trade promotions cover 80% to 100% of the costs.

Service included distribution through the UBL Direct network to dozens of major search sites, as well as the claiming of verified profiles on Google Places, Google Plus, Bing, and Yahoo and the building of dedicated profile pages on Facebook, Twitter, and Foursquare. In all, the manufacturer was able to see its brand name, keywords and images included on hundreds of sites for each retail location for under $200 each.

The Local Search Association and the Interactive Advertising Bureau last week said co-op budgets were being under-spent by $450 million dollars due to lack of participation.

UBL's Co-op Local Search Marketing Service works with the brand manager to provide uniform descriptions and visuals to the retailer, and in turn assists the retailer in submitting relevant claim codes and forms for reimbursement as required. In some cases, the brand manager will fund the program directly.

UBL makes today's announcement in advance of BIA/Kelsey's SMB Digital Marketing conference in Chicago, for which it is a sponsor. For more information go to www.UBL.org/coop.

About UBL Interactive and Universal Business Listing

UBL Interactive, Inc. (UBLI) is based in Charlotte, NC, and operates Universal Business Listing at www.UBL.org. UBL provides business identity management tools for businesses large and small as well as SEO providers, advertising agencies, and interactive marketers, helping their customers distribute trusted business details across search engines, online yellow pages directories, 411 directory assistance services, social networks, and mobile devices. The company also offers reputation monitoring tools and a variety of premium local search optimization services. 

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SOURCE UBL Interactive, Inc.