In a world where marketing teams are getting buried under Google, TikTok, Instagram, and AI chat outputs, SOCi is offering something unexpected: breathing room.
A new study conducted by Forrester Consulting, commissioned by SOCi, highlights the results of moving local digital marketing tasks into one platform. The numbers aren’t small. According to the findings, marketing teams using SOCi are regaining 55,000 hours a year—per store.
Why Search Is Breaking Down
The traditional model of search is fading. Consumers no longer rely solely on Google. Instead, they piece together decisions by bouncing between Reddit threads, influencer videos, Yelp reviews, and yes—AI-generated summaries. This is causing a sharp drop in search traffic for brands that haven’t kept up.
SOCi’s own 2025 Consumer Behavior Index shows just how fractured things have become. Review platforms now shape purchase decisions more than ever. Social media and AI tools pull data from these same reviews. If brands aren’t managing their local visibility on every front, they’re invisible.
One Platform. Fewer Fires to Put Out
SOCi’s pitch is clear: one platform to manage listings, social profiles, reviews, and local campaigns. According to the study, this setup doesn’t just save time. It drives results.
Marketing teams reduced manual work by 75%. Conversion rates jumped by 20%. Brands using SOCi also saw an 8% increase in digital traffic—at a time when most competitors are losing it.
From Missed Reviews to More Revenue
When local teams have the tools to respond quickly and consistently, they connect with their communities. That’s the value SOCi is pushing: authenticity. It’s also what’s driving a reported 3% increase in repurchase rates. Over three years, that’s added $1.36 million in loyalty-driven revenue for the average brand modeled in the study.
Review Sites Are the New Homepage
SOCi’s research shows that 95% of consumers still trust human feedback over AI. That means reviews matter more now—not less. Brands ignoring them are handing their credibility to competitors.
Even AI tools like ChatGPT are starting to surface recommendations based on public reviews. If your locations have old information, bad ratings, or unanswered complaints, those problems don’t just stay in the app—they spread.
Pressure on Marketing Teams Is Only Growing
SOCi’s Chief Marketing Officer Monica Ho says multi-location brands are especially at risk. Local managers often lack the time or knowledge to stay current. Meanwhile, corporate teams are stretched thin trying to manage hundreds—or thousands—of digital touchpoints.
The solution, according to Ho, is simplicity. “You can’t win across every discovery platform using a mess of disconnected tools,” she said. “You need one that actually works across all of them.”
Streamline or Stall
The takeaway from the Forrester TEI report is blunt: you can’t outpace discovery sprawl by piling on more apps. The study found $2.11 million in savings by unifying local marketing operations under one roof. That’s not just a win for visibility. It’s a reset for how multi-location marketing should be done.
The numbers make a clear argument—if brands want to survive in a fragmented discovery system, they’ll need to simplify fast. SOCi believes it already has the solution.