• by Erik Sass  @eriksass1, May 7, 2014

Over the last few years, local broadcasters have been expanding their capabilities to offer local advertisers more digital marketing services, taking on many responsibilities that have been traditionally associated with agencies. The newest example is broadcast radio group Entercom Communications, which this week announced the launch of SmartReach Digital, a new division that will help small businesses with digital marketing.

The new digital marketing services division is supported by a full-service digital agency created by Entercom, staffed by digital marketers, sales executives, and campaign managers in each Entercom market. SmartReach Digital offers local advertisers marketing services in areas including local online radio, email, display, SEO and SEM, telemarketing, social media, contests, and texting, as well as reputation management and Web site strategies. So far, SmartReach Digital has rolled out in six of Entercom's local markets, with additional markets to be added over the next year.

As noted, Entercom is just the latest in a growing list of broadcasters offering digital marketing services to small businesses.

In April, Gray Television launched a new digital marketing services division, LocalX Marketing, to work with local businesses in markets where it operates TV stations. LocalX aims to provide local clients with customized digital marketing services in areas including mobile and responsive design, search engine optimization, social media management, e-commerce, database management, call tracking, and reputation management, among others.

Also in April, digital local online marketing firm Boostability announced that it is expanding its partner programs to enable traditional media companies -- including broadcast TV, radio and cable -- to begin offering advertising clients search engine optimization services that are complementary with their own advertising channels.