As BIA Kelsey reported a couple of weeks ago, “for the first time, the penetration of digital/online media has exceeded that of traditional media among small and medium-sized business (SMB) advertisers,” according to the latest wave of BIA/Kelsey’s Local Commerce Monitor study, conducted with research partner ConStat. The penetration of digital/online media increased from 73 percent in August 2008 to 77 percent in August 2009, while that of traditional media decreased from 74 percent to 69 percent during the same period.

The trend toward integrated campaigns running cross-platform is driving a lot of change both on the media planning/buying side and the media sales/marketing side. This is occurring in a tough economy where companies expect more sales from smaller budgets. For example, in a study released last week by American Management Analytics and the Association of National Advertisers it was revealed that 75% of marketers have a smaller budget in 2009 but 67% are expected to drive more sales. This can happen only through greater operational efficiencies and smarter buying.

This actually creates a welcome opportunity for local television. According to the AMA/ANA study, 38% of of the marketers interviewed say they plan to shift spending from pricier solutions like national spot to local television. Tools that can make integrated local television and web campaigns easier to buy, execute and measure will be very appealing to agencies.

For local television stations seeking to capture more agency spending, it is critical to offer integrated TV-web cross-platform solutions combining ability of the over-the-air platform to deliver audiences with the web’s engagement metrics. Companies like Mixpo, Jivox, and SpotMixer have targeted this need with a range of solutions.

Mixpo today announced the launch of a new tool which can help agencies extend local TV ad campaigns to the web. Mixpo’s viewpoint is that “the market is looking for an answer” for how to best extend local TV campaigns to the web. This solution must drive measurable response and scale cost-effectively.

Mixpo works with broadcasters including Fisher, Freedom, Citadel and NBC Local Media, helps ad agencies integrate local TV with web campaigns. According to Mixpo’s president, Anupam Gupta, they key to the solution is to reduce “the complexity and cost of executing video and rich media at the local level.”

Local television stations focusing on offering smarter, more efficient and more accountable cross-platform solutions to agencies are well poised to capture greater local market ad share. This requires shifting the paradigm from spot sales to understanding and addressing agency and client campaign goals with an integrated suite of cross-platform solutions.

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