What WordStream by LocaliQ does

WordStream by LocaliQ is a digital marketing software and services company headquartered in Boston, operating as a subsidiary of LocaliQ within USA TODAY NETWORK (owned by Gannett). The company sells a managed digital marketing platform spanning listings management, SEO, search ads, display ads, video ads (including OTT/YouTube), and social ads across Google, Microsoft, Meta, and TikTok inventory. It serves three primary customer segments: small and medium businesses seeking outsourced paid-media management, digital marketing agencies (43.4K businesses served, 655K campaigns run) needing white-label solutions, and multi-location enterprises such as franchises, regional marketing groups, property managers, and multi-family housing operators (20.6K businesses served, 699K campaigns run). The company's combined customer base totals 509K businesses, with cumulative customer outcomes cited as 279M leads delivered, 142M hours saved, and $15.9B in customer revenue generated.

The technology stack centers on two proprietary components: XMO (Cross-Channel Optimization) technology that reallocates social ad spend across channels based on real-time performance, and Customer Center powered by Dash, an AI-enabled lead management and reporting interface. An open API environment supports integrations with HubSpot, ServiceTitan, Yardi, and Yelp, and the company holds Google Premier Partner, Microsoft Partner, Meta, TikTok, and Yelp Platinum badges. A freemium layer (Google Ads Performance Grader, Facebook Ads Performance Grader, Free Keyword Tool, Website Grader, ROAS Calculator) drives top-of-funnel acquisition and feeds data back into the company's benchmark reports, which cover 16,000+ Google Ads campaigns across 23 industries and 1,000+ Facebook campaigns across 22 industries.

Revenue is generated primarily through managed-services fees on custom digital marketing engagements sold via direct enterprise sales (with personalized demos), a self-serve lead funnel from free tools, and an agency partner program. Pricing is quote-based and not publicly disclosed; billing cadence is typically annual, with SMB Google Ads benchmarks of $1,000-$2,500/month per channel cited as reference points. Distribution combines direct sales, self-service/PLG, and channel/reseller motions, while marketing relies on the WordStream blog, SEO authority, a 713K+ subscriber newsletter, benchmark reports, and active social channels.

Name

WordStream by LocaliQ

Legal name

WordStream

Website

https://wordstream.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2011

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

251–500 employees

Short description

WordStream by LocaliQ is a digital marketing platform and managed-services provider serving SMBs, agencies, and multi-location businesses with paid media, SEO, listings, and AI-powered lead management, operating as a subsidiary of LocaliQ within USA TODAY NETWORK.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Digital Marketing Platform

NAICS

Advertising Agencies (541810), Media Buying Agencies (54183)

SIC

Services-Advertising (7310), Services-Advertising Agencies (7311)

akta.pro primary industry

Local & Location-Based Performance Advertising (Local Search/Maps, Geo-targeting) (BPAFACAL)

akta.pro secondary industry

Customer Support, CRM & Retention Tooling (Helpdesk, Churn, Messaging) (MPAHAJAM)

Keywords

• Digital marketing services
• Paid search advertising
• Search engine optimization
• Multi-location marketing
• Marketing agency solutions

Headquarters

HQ city

Mclean

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Software

Cost components

Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Operations, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Digital Marketing Services: Full-service digital marketing solutions including search ads, display ads, video ads, social ads, SEO, listings management, and social media marketing. Revenue generated through service fees for managed marketing campaigns and solutions.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

WordStream by LocaliQ operates a technology-backed digital marketing platform (LocaliQ) delivering managed marketing services across search ads, display ads, video ads, social ads, SEO, listings management, social media marketing, and AI-powered lead management (Customer Center powered by Dash). The company complements its paid platform with free self-service tools (Google Ads Performance Grader, Facebook Ads Performance Grader, Free Keyword Tool, Website Grader, ROAS Calculator) that generate leads for its managed service offerings. The platform is distinguished by proprietary XMO cross-channel optimization technology and insights derived from serving 300K+ businesses.

Product overview

WordStream by LocaliQ is a digital marketing software and services company offering a dual approach: a suite of free marketing tools (Google Ads Performance Grader, Facebook Ads Performance Grader, Free Keyword Tool, Website Grader, and ROAS Calculator) combined with a comprehensive LocaliQ marketing platform. The LocaliQ platform provides managed digital marketing services organized into three main categories: Get Found services (Listings, SEO, Social Media Marketing), Scale Your Business services (Search Ads, Display Ads, Video Ads, Social Ads with XMO technology), and Convert & Keep Customers services (Customer Center powered by Dash - an AI-powered lead management platform, and Chat). The company also offers specialized vertical solutions for multi-location businesses and agency partners. The platform is distinguished by proprietary technology and insights derived from extensive data accumulated across hundreds of thousands of business clients.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Customer Center powered by Dash: AI-powered lead management platform providing reporting, insights, tracking, and lead engagement solutions
• XMO Technology
• PPC University

Products and services

• Google Ads Performance Grader A free, instant report card tool that analyzes a Google Ads account across nine key areas—wasted spend, Quality Score, click-through rate, impression share, best practices, account activity, long-tail keywords, and mobile optimization—and provides actionable improvement tips. Used by advertisers to self-assess Google Ads performance.
• Facebook Ads Performance Grader A free performance evaluation tool that scores Facebook Ads accounts to help advertisers improve reach, results, and ROI on social ad campaigns.
• Free Keyword Tool A free keyword research tool that provides hundreds of relevant keyword suggestions tailored to industry and location with keyword volume and cost-per-click data using Google Search data, supporting SEO and PPC planning.
• Website Grader A free tool that analyzes how a website performs and stacks up against competition across various optimization factors.
• ROAS Calculator A free calculator that helps businesses determine return on ad spend (ROAS) and evaluate advertising spend effectiveness.
• Listings Management Managed business listings distribution and management across 50+ online directories to ensure businesses are found online, with simplified management.
• SEO Services Managed search engine optimization service featuring keyword optimizations and tactics tailored to specific industries to maximize online visibility.
• Social Media Marketing Managed social media marketing services to grow brand presence, increase social engagement, and manage online reviews across social platforms.
• Search Ads Managed paid search advertising on Google and other search engines featuring automation to optimize ads and maximize budget efficiency for lead generation.
• Display Ads Managed display advertising featuring retargeting, geofencing, and other advanced features to build brand awareness and reach larger audiences across the web.
• Video Ads Managed video advertising across YouTube Ads, OTT (over-the-top), and social media platforms to deliver video messages to audiences regardless of viewing device.
• Social Ads Managed social media advertising utilizing XMO technology that automatically adjusts spend between channels based on real-time performance data.
• Customer Center powered by Dash An AI-powered lead management platform providing comprehensive reporting and insights, call tracking, and lead engagement solutions within a unified interface.
• Chat Website chat functionality enabling immediate engagement with potential customers when they visit, including AI-powered automated responses.
• Multi-Location Marketing Solutions Comprehensive managed marketing solution bundle for multi-location businesses including franchise organizations, corporate-owned locations, regional marketing groups, and property managers, featuring multi-location campaign management, reporting, and dedicated support teams.
• Agency & Partner Marketing Solutions Channel partner program enabling agencies to offer LocaliQ digital marketing solutions to their clients with client management, comprehensive Customer Center reporting, lead management, sales enablement, and dedicated agency teams.
• LocaliQ Platform Technology-backed digital marketing platform serving as the overarching infrastructure powering WordStream managed services, with proprietary technology and insights from 300K+ businesses across the USA TODAY NETWORK.

Quantifiable outcome

• 142M hours saved for customers
• +4 more outcomes

Named customers2 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature5 records

Partnerships

Five partnerships are on record, tiered core.

• GooglecoreTechnology or IntegrationGoogle Premier Partner with advanced specialization in Google Ads. The partnership enables LocaliQ to provide comprehensive search advertising solutions with access to Google advertising platforms, tools, and support resources. Recognized as Premier Partner for 2026.
• MicrosoftcoreTechnology or IntegrationMicrosoft Partner providing technology solutions and integration capabilities. The partnership enables cross-platform advertising and marketing solutions.
• Meta (Facebook/Instagram)coreTechnology or IntegrationMeta partner badge holder enabling social advertising solutions across Facebook and Instagram platforms with advanced targeting and optimization capabilities.
• TikTokcoreTechnology or IntegrationTikTok partner enabling short-form video advertising and marketing solutions for reaching audiences on the platform.
• USA TODAY NETWORKcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerParent company and national network providing brand credibility, reach, and content distribution capabilities across the USA TODAY NETWORK footprint.

Scale indicators16 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• KlientBoost: KlientBoost is a performance marketing agency specializing in PPC and CRO for SaaS and SMB clients, directly competing with LocaliQ's paid media management services.
• Vendasta: Vendasta is a white-label SMB and agency digital marketing platform offering listings, reputation, advertising, and CRM tools — a direct competitor to LocaliQ's agency and multi-location go-to-market.
• WebFX: WebFX is a full-service digital marketing agency serving SMB and mid-market clients with SEO, PPC, and CRO services — directly comparable to LocaliQ's SMB managed-services offering.
• Yext: Yext provides listings management, local SEO, and reputation management for multi-location enterprises — overlapping directly with LocaliQ's Listings and multi-location solutions.
• Disruptive Advertising: Disruptive Advertising is a PPC-focused digital marketing agency with strong emphasis on paid search and paid social optimization, directly overlapping LocaliQ's SEM and social ad offerings.
• Thrive Internet Marketing Agency: Thrive is a digital marketing agency offering SEO, PPC, social media, and web design for SMBs and mid-market — a close services-model peer to LocaliQ's managed digital advertising.

Broad incumbents

• HubSpot: HubSpot is a broad marketing, sales, and CRM platform with an SMB-friendly freemium funnel; overlaps with LocaliQ on CRM/lead management and inbound marketing and is an integration partner.

Emerging players

• Birdeye: Birdeye is a customer experience and listings platform for multi-location businesses, competing most directly with LocaliQ's local listings and reputation offerings.
• Optmyzr: Optmyzr provides PPC optimization and automation software for agencies and in-house teams, adjacent to LocaliQ's XMO optimization layer and agency channel.
• Semrush: Semrush provides SEO, content, and competitive research tools widely used by SMB marketers, overlapping with LocaliQ's SEO toolkit and free keyword/research offerings.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/WordStream
• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCrvBaHMLtSQ55IWAZiRQuQQ
• Facebookfacebook.com/wordstream
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/wordstream
• Instagraminstagram.com/wordstream

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about WordStream by LocaliQ