LocaliQ Expands Product Portfolio Incorporating AI With Dash by LocaliQ

Rhea-AI Summary

LocaliQ, Gannett's Digital Marketing Solutions business, has launched Dash by LocaliQ, an AI-powered lead management SaaS solution. The platform features advanced automation capabilities, AI agents, and AI-powered reporting to optimize lead conversion and business growth.

Key features include AI-driven lead scoring, categorization, and prioritization tools that help businesses manage customer interactions more efficiently. The platform's AI SMS agent, introduced earlier this month, enables instant response to incoming SMS messages and lead qualification through natural conversations. This addresses a significant gap, as data shows 40% of SMS leads typically go unanswered due to time constraints.

The solution aims to streamline operations by eliminating manual tasks and enhancing customer experiences. LocaliQ plans to release additional conversational AI offerings later this year and was recently recognized with the 2025 BIG Innovation Award for Dash's contributions to innovation.

Positive

• Launch of new AI-powered lead management solution expanding product portfolio
• Integration of conversational AI SMS agent addressing 40% of previously unanswered leads
• Recognition with 2025 BIG Innovation Award
• Planned expansion of conversational AI offerings

Negative

• None.

Insights

Technology and Digital Marketing Analyst

The launch of Dash by LocaliQ marks a strategic pivot for Gannett's Digital Marketing Solutions business, positioning it at the intersection of two rapidly growing markets: AI-powered marketing automation and SMB digital services. The timing is particularly significant as businesses increasingly seek efficiency-driven solutions amid rising operational costs.

The platform's core differentiator lies in its integrated approach to lead management and conversational AI. By addressing the critical 40% gap in SMS lead response rates, Dash targets a substantial market inefficiency. For context, in the SMB sector, even a modest improvement in lead conversion rates can translate to significant revenue gains, making the value proposition particularly compelling.

From a business model perspective, this SaaS solution represents a strategic evolution for Gannett, potentially creating a more stable, recurring revenue stream compared to traditional advertising income. The BIG Innovation Award recognition adds credibility to the technological capabilities, though the real test will be market adoption rates and customer retention metrics.

Key competitive advantages include:

• Proprietary AI integration with existing LocaliQ services
• Automated lead scoring and prioritization
• Real-time SMS response capabilities
• Advanced reporting and analytics dashboard

The planned release of additional conversational AI offerings later in the year suggests a robust product roadmap, indicating potential for expanded market share in the digital marketing technology sector. However, success will largely depend on:

• Integration efficiency with existing business workflows
• Demonstrable ROI for small business users
• Competitive pricing structure
• Quality of AI-driven interactions

For Gannett, this represents a meaningful step toward diversifying revenue streams and modernizing its digital services portfolio. The focus on AI-driven automation aligns with broader industry trends toward operational efficiency and enhanced customer engagement, potentially strengthening the company's position in the digital marketing solutions space.

Digital marketing growth platform provides conversational AI and AI-powered lead management

NEW YORK, NY--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- LocaliQ, Gannett Co., Inc.’s (NYSE: GCI) Digital Marketing Solutions (DMS) business, has launched Dash by LocaliQ, an Artificial Intelligence (AI) lead management SaaS solution to harness lead conversion. With its comprehensive suite of features, AI agents, advanced automation capabilities and AI-powered reporting, Dash is at the forefront of marketing technology – paving the way for businesses to achieve unprecedented growth through optimized lead management.

The capabilities Dash provides are the latest in the tools available through LocaliQ’s proprietary AI marketing platform created to drive efficiency, eliminate manual tasks, and enhance customer experiences. This next-generation software solution ensures businesses can free up their calendar, grow their business faster and boost conversions.

With features including advanced reporting and lead management tools to summarize, categorize and prioritize incoming leads, the solution enables business operators to better manage their time spent converting prospects to customers. All incoming leads are processed by AI and saved to an activity dashboard that monitors customer interactions. AI generates valuable insights that prioritizes leads, ranking the order in which prospects should be followed up. Dash by LocaliQ replaces what was previously a timely and manual process. Business owners utilizing lead scoring and management spend less time listening to call recordings and going through their inbox, allowing them to follow up faster and win more business.

“Introducing Dash to the marketplace underscores LocaliQ’s commitment to technological advancement and positions us as a leader in the digital marketing space,” said Chris Cho, President, LocaliQ. “Dash by LocaliQ is the connective tissue to our suite of services, designed to help our subscribers convert leads faster. This is the future of lead management technology, and we will continue to leverage the power of AI to help businesses thrive with the release of additional conversational AI offerings later in the year.”

Earlier this month, Dash introduced an AI SMS agent, representing a significant leap forward in the capability of the product with the addition of conversational AI. Dash SMS Agent simulates human conversation, providing LocaliQ subscribers the ability to instantly respond to incoming SMS messages and qualify leads through natural interactions. A recent study of LocaliQ customer data shows that 40% of SMS leads go unanswered because businesses do not have the time to reply to all of them immediately. Leveraging natural language processing, machine learning, and foundation models to create conversations the SMS agent can accurately and efficiently answer business-specific questions. The Dash SMS agent helps small business owners automate the work of converting customers and growing revenue, giving time back to focus on their day-to-day operations.

LocaliQ was recently recognized as a winner of the 2025 BIG Innovation Award. The award recognized the product development and market introduction of Dash’s outstanding contributions to innovation.

For more information, please visit https://localiq.com/products/ai-lead-management.

Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-Looking Statements

This press release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, and the safe harbor provisions of the U.S. Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, that relate to our current expectations and views of future events. All statements other than statements of historical facts contained in this press release, including statements relating to whether the transaction will drive Gannett’s revenue and cash flow growth, result in or be able to leverage any synergies or be accretive to Gannett’s revenue, are all forward looking statements. These statements represent our opinions, expectations, beliefs, intentions, estimates or strategies regarding the future, which may not be realized. In some cases, you can identify forward-looking statements by terms such as “believe,” “may,” “estimate,” “continue,” “anticipate,” “intend,” “should,” “plan,” “expect,” “predict,” “potential,” “could,” “will,” “would,” “ongoing,” “future” or the negative of these terms or other similar expressions that are intended to identify forward-looking statements, although not all forward-looking statements contain these identifying words. Forward-looking statements are based largely on our current expectations and projections about future events and financial trends that we believe may affect our financial condition, results of operations, business strategy, short-term and long-term business operations and objectives and financial needs. These forward-looking statements involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties, contingencies, changes in circumstances that are difficult to predict and other important factors that may cause our actual results, performance, or achievements to be materially and/or significantly different from any future results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by the forward-looking statement. For a discussion of some of the risks and important factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from our expectations, see the risks and other factors detailed in Gannett’s 2023 Annual Report on Form 10-K and Gannett’s quarterly reports on Form 10-Q and each of Gannett’s other filings with the SEC, in each case as such factors may be updated from time to time. Any forward-looking statements contained in this press release speak only as of the date hereof and accordingly undue reliance should not be placed on such statements. Gannett disclaims any obligation or undertaking to update or revise any forward-looking statements contained in this press release, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, other than to the extent required by applicable law.

ABOUT GANNETT

Gannett Co., Inc. (NYSE: GCI) is a diversified media company with expansive reach at the national and local level dedicated to empowering and enriching communities. We seek to inspire, inform, and connect audiences as a scalable, growth focused media and digital marketing solutions company. We endeavor to deliver essential content, marketing solutions, and experiences for curated audiences, advertisers, consumers, and stakeholders by leveraging our diverse teams and suite of products to enrich the local communities and businesses we serve. Our current portfolio of trusted media brands includes the USA TODAY NETWORK, comprised of the national publication, USA TODAY, and local media organizations in the United States, and Newsquest, a wholly-owned subsidiary operating in the United Kingdom. Our digital marketing solutions brand, LocaliQ, uses innovation and software to enable small and medium-sized businesses to grow, and USA TODAY NETWORK Ventures, our events division, creates impactful consumer engagements, promotions, and races.

ABOUT LOCALIQ

LocaliQ is an end-to-end, AI-powered marketing platform used by local businesses across the country to attract, convert and retain customers. A subsidiary of Gannett Co., Inc (NYSE: GCI), LocaliQ has the local trust to evolve the way business owners reach the audiences that matter most. LocaliQ's proprietary AI technology leverages data and insights to optimize cross-channel marketing and deliver relevant messages to consumers with a robust suite that incorporates AI lead management and digital agents, marketing automation, omnichannel campaign management, advanced reporting and insight tools. In this digital world, we're on a mission to keep businesses thriving to empower the communities we serve. For more information, visit www.localiq.com.

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20250127682999/en/

MEDIA CONTACTS

Lark-Marie Antón

Chief Communications Officer

(646) 906-4087

lark@gannett.com

Heather Gidaly

Senior Director, Corporate Communications

(845) 304-3282

hgidaly@gannett.com

Source: Gannett Co., Inc.

FAQ

What is Dash by LocaliQ and how does it benefit GCI's business?

Dash by LocaliQ is an AI-powered lead management SaaS solution that helps businesses optimize lead conversion through automated lead scoring, categorization, and prioritization. It's part of Gannett's Digital Marketing Solutions business, expanding their technology offerings.

How does the new Dash SMS Agent feature impact GCI's service offering?

The Dash SMS Agent uses conversational AI to automatically respond to incoming SMS messages and qualify leads through natural interactions, addressing the 40% of SMS leads that typically go unanswered due to time constraints.

What recognition has GCI's LocaliQ received for Dash in 2025?

LocaliQ was awarded the 2025 BIG Innovation Award for Dash's product development and market introduction, recognizing its outstanding contributions to innovation.

What future AI developments is GCI planning for LocaliQ?

GCI plans to release additional conversational AI offerings through LocaliQ later in the year, further expanding their AI-powered marketing technology solutions.