• by Laurie Sullivan  @lauriesullivan, August 13, 2012

ReachLocal has combined its search and site retargeting platform to give small and medium-sized (SMBs) businesses the opportunity to reach local consumers online with targeting tools similar to those used by Fortune 500 companies. A handful of companies have been testing the tool -- ReachRetargeting -- for a few weeks, but the company plans to open it up to others on Monday.

These SMBs will have access to a ReachLocal sales rep who will work with them to determine a budget. The platform enables those with small budgets to participate in site and search retargeting. The companies typically range in employee count from 1 to 20, and generate between $1 million and $40 million, according to ReachLocal Chief Product Officer Kris Barton.

While the cost to use the platform and the goal and definition of success based on key performance indicators (KPIs) vary per company, Barton said the tool can put the SBM's brand in front of consumers while they make purchase decisions. "It connects causal browsers who might have been lost to larger businesses who could afford to run more sophisticated retargeting campaigns," he said, explaining that the platform also integrates AdWords and Twitter self-serve tools to round out the strategy.

ReachLocal supports ads running across thousands of sites with access to more than 6 billion impressions. "About 90% of U.S. customers have the opportunity to see the ads," Barton said. 'If budgets are $200, you probably won't get that kind of coverage."