Forecast: SMB's to spend more locally next year

Look for more local ad dollars to come from small businesses next year. That, according to the US Local Media Forecast 2015 which predicts the local SMB spend will push past $50 billion in 2015.

by Kristina Knight

Small businesses local media spending will represent just over one-third (38%) of the total local media spend according to BIA/Kelsey's new US Local Media Forecast 2015. Their experts suggest just over $37 billion of that spend will be allocated to traditional media - print, radio, television - while just over $12 billion will be pushed into the digital space.

"Shifting the release of our annual forecast to the fall follows the natural budgeting cycle companies go through each year," said Mark Fratrik, chief economist, BIA/Kelsey. "Our clients have told us this information is most valuable at the very beginning of the fall when they are initiating their budget planning for the upcoming year. The five-year forecast will feature an emphasis on the upcoming year to give companies the information they need most, when they need it."

Some interesting takeaways from the forecast include:

• National brands are also expected to spend about $50 billion locally (35% of the spend)
• $39 billion of the local media spend will come from non-SMB local businesses
• Each of the three entities will increase their local spend by double-digit percentages

The full forecast will be presented at the BIA/Kelsey Leading in Local: SMB Digital Marketing Conference September 22-24 in New Orleans.

Image via Shutterstock

Tags: BIA/Kelsey, local advertising, local media ad forecast, small business advertising, SMB ad forecast, SMB trends