Kona Ice Selects SOCi to Manage Online Local Listings and Avoid Local Invisibility

Kona Ice, one of the top mobile food franchises in the U.S., with over 1,500 mobile units across 49 states,  announced the selection of SOCi Inc., the leading comarketing cloud for multi-location enterprises, to manage its extensive online local listings. This strategic move is designed to ensure that Kona Ice remains visible to its customers on multiple platforms such as Google, Facebook, Yelp, and more, effectively tackling the industry-wide issue of local invisibility.

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An overwhelming majority of consumers use digital tools to find information about a local business, including location information. However, according to a recent report by SOCi, the average U.S. business is virtually invisible in two out of three local online searches, even when nine of 10 customers turn to search when they have a need. Kona Ice’s partnership with SOCi underscores the brand’s commitment to customer satisfaction and positions it to increase online visibility and avoid search pitfalls as it continues to scale its operations amid surging demand.

“We don’t want our customers to ever struggle to find our trucks online,” said Tony Lamb, Founder and CEO of Kona Ice. “With SOCi, we can effectively manage our online presence across dozens of platforms to ensure that doesn’t happen, especially as we continue to grow. We also want to enhance the digital strength of each franchise to improve local visibility and make our brand more accessible to our customers – SOCi will help us do that on all fronts.”

As a unique mobile franchise, Kona Ice offers customers a one-of-a-kind experience with its self-serve Flavorwave, allowing them to create their own shaved ice while basking in a tropical ambience. The brand is dedicated to providing an exceptional customer experience, not just in person, but online as well. As Kona Ice continues to expand, the need for a unified platform to manage their online presence and customer expectations has become increasingly evident.

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“Kona Ice recognizes the high cost of low search visibility and the importance of landing in the Google 3-pack. They understand that brands who have optimized their online listings appear in the 3-pack twice as often,” said David Marler, Chief Customer Officer of SOCi. “By leveraging the SOCi platform and our world class service, Kona Ice will continue to increase their visibility within local searches making it easier for their customers to find mobile Kona Ice locations closest to them.”

Kona Ice’s decision to engage SOCi was also motivated by the desire to better support its team as customer volume increases, and the brand has plans to utilize the platform for managing reviews and social media later this year. As Kona Ice plans to launch multiple brands, having one platform to oversee its online listings data, as well as other marketing channels, all in one place is crucial.

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