Digital Retail Marketing: How to Coordinate National and Local Campaigns to Generate In-Store Traffic?

Between brand communication and community engagement, digital marketing in retail can no longer choose its side. It must play on both fronts. Here's how.

Why is the topic crucial in 2025?

With the proliferation of channels, the end of third-party cookies, the surge in advertising costs, and the rise of generative AI, retail brands are facing a dual challenge:

• Generate national awareness
• Create local engagement to bring customers to the point of sale

This is exactly what Nathalie Terwingen (Blue2Purple) and Jean-Philippe Blerot (Carrefour) discussed during a live session hosted by Frédéric from Mobilosoft. Here are the 6 key takeaways.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gIBmXR04HQE&t=2s

National vs Local: succeeding with an effective digital marketing strategy in Retail

1. Set the right roles: national ≠ local

"We need to clarify: who does what, when, and with what objective."
Nathalie Terwingen

The national campaign builds the brand image. It sets the framework, installs the territory of expression, and defines the key messages.

The local campaign translates all this on the ground. It adapts the discourse, plays on promotions, adopts the codes of social networks.

The pitfall to avoid

Copy-pasting between the two levels. Or worse: completely disconnecting the messages.

2. Prepare and coordinate activations

For a multi-point sales network, coordination is key:

• Weekly themes sent to stores
• Templates and visuals provided by headquarters
• Local freedom to adapt content

"It's the store managers who know their customers. They're the ones who know how to talk to them."
Jean-Philippe Blerot, Head of Digital and eCommerce Carrefour Belgium

Result: authentic, human posts, often more engaging than those at the national level.

3. Focus on the right digital levers

To perform locally and ensure good online visibility for local points of sale, favor a hybrid strategy at multiple levels:

• Always-on SEA for permanent visibility
• Local Social Ads for community targeting
• Organic content on Google Business Profile and TikTok or Instagram and Facebook
• Short videos to create engagement

"The customer wants human, authentic, and video content."
Jean-Philippe Blerot

4. Work on local SEO as a strategic asset

Local SEO, often neglected, becomes central with the rise of conversational AI search, as evidenced by the arrival of AI overview on Chrome.

Best practices

• Post regularly on Google Business Profile
• Using geolocalized keywords
• Integrate links to store websites
• Respond to customer reviews regularly

"AI sees that you respond to your customer reviews. It understands that you're a good brand."
Jean-Philippe Blerot

5. Define the right KPIs

The right indicators are not (just) likes. What needs to be monitored:

• Local engagement rate (5% is a good average)
• Traffic on establishment listings
• Store visits triggered by campaigns
• Revenue attributed to digital activations

"We measure the highs and lows every week. And the stores see who did what. It's a super powerful lever."
Jean-Philippe Blerot

6. Anticipating the impact of AI

Nathalie Terwingen insists: AI tools like ChatGPT will transform the way we search, consume, and compare. This gives new strategic importance to well-referenced content.

"In 5 years, AI tools could match Google's search volume. We need to prepare." Nathalie Terwingen

Key takeaways

• The national/local articulation is a team discipline
• Local marketing creates a connection with customers : it needs to be valued
• AI, SEO and video will be the pillars of tomorrow
  

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