The Hidden Cost of Marketing: How Big Tech Advertising Drains Local Communities
Local businesses are the heartbeat of our neighborhoods, from the corner coffee shop to the family-owned diner. But many consumers don’t realize that the cost of marketing—the efforts businesses make to reach us—often finds its way back into our wallets in the form of higher prices.
Over $170 billion was spent last year by local merchants on marketing, a staggering figure that is largely funneled into the coffers of Big Tech giants like Google and Facebook. Add to that the significant fees charged by platforms like DoorDash and Uber Eats, and the true cost of marketing becomes clear: it’s not just an expense for businesses—it’s an invisible tax on consumers.
Marketing Dollars That Never Return
Every dollar that leaves a local business to fund digital ads or third-party delivery platforms is a dollar that’s gone from the community forever. Instead of circulating within local economies, much of this money ends up in Silicon Valley bank accounts.
Platforms like Google and Facebook dominate the digital advertising space, enticing businesses with promises of visibility and data insights. But the tradeoff is steep. These companies take control of customer relationships, hoard valuable data, and charge businesses increasingly high rates to stay competitive.
Take a local restaurant, for example. They’re not just paying for clicks or views—they’re paying for Google to collect detailed insights about their customers. From meal preferences to visit times, even how much customers spend, this data is turned into a profit machine for Google. And while the restaurant struggles to make sense of a star rating, Google leverages the data to sell them more ads at higher prices.
Delivery Platforms: The Other Drain on Local Dollars
Delivery services like DoorDash and Uber Eats are another culprit in this system. These platforms don’t just charge consumers hefty delivery fees—they also take 20-30% of each transaction from the restaurant. This means that when you pay $20 for a meal, a significant portion of that cost isn’t going to the chef, the staff, or even the restaurant owner. It’s being siphoned off by a tech company that has never set foot in your neighborhood.
The Ripple Effect on Communities
This system doesn’t just hurt businesses—it hurts communities. Local businesses are forced to pass these costs on to their customers in the form of higher prices, making dining out or shopping more expensive for everyone.
And when $170 billion leaves local communities each year, it’s not coming back. Those dollars could have been reinvested in better wages for workers, improved services, or even local sponsorships for schools and events. Instead, they vanish into the pockets of massive corporations.
GOTYOU: Keeping Dollars in the Community
This is where GOTYOU comes in. Unlike third-party platforms that extract value from local businesses, GOTYOU is designed to keep dollars in the community by empowering businesses to connect directly with their customers.
With GOTYOU, businesses own their data, their relationships, and their growth. The platform eliminates middlemen, reducing marketing costs by 30-80% and allowing businesses to reward their customers instead of funding Big Tech’s ad machines.
GOTYOU’s innovative approach turns marketing into a community-driven effort. Customers earn rewards for actions like referrals and feedback, creating a cycle where every dollar spent stays within the local economy. It’s not just about helping businesses succeed—it’s about strengthening the entire community.
A Call to Action
Local businesses and consumers alike have the power to break free from the broken system of Big Tech advertising and delivery fees. By supporting platforms like GOTYOU, we can reclaim those billions of dollars, keep them circulating in our neighborhoods, and create a brighter future for everyone.
It’s time to say no to the invisible tax on our communities and yes to a smarter, more sustainable way forward. With GOTYOU, every dollar spent makes a difference—because it stays where it belongs: right here at home.
Join the movement today. Together, we can bring those dollars back.
