Street Fight Daily: Google Adds Local Event Discovery to Search, Snap’s Earnings Disappoint

A roundup of today’s big stories in hyperlocal publishing, marketing, commerce, and technology…

Google Search Will Now Help You Find Nearby Events (TechCrunch)
Google is updating its app and mobile web experience in the U.S. to help web searchers more easily find things to do – like concerts, art exhibits, lectures, festivals, meetups, sporting events, and more – which are happening nearby, either now or in the future.

Snap’s $2.2 Billion Loss Caps Bumpy First Months as Public Company (NYT)
On Wednesday, Snap, the parent of the messaging app Snapchat, reported earnings that missed Wall Street expectations in almost every regard. Not only did Snap record a $2.2 billion loss for the first quarter, its revenue was lighter than expected, and the company disclosed that its user growth was decelerating sharply.

Why SharkNinja Keeps Searching for New Ways to Connect With Local Consumers (Street Fight)
Building a rapport with customers at the local level can be a challenge for product makers who do not have their own stores. It can be an even more elaborate task for a brand whose products have long lifecycles. That makes it all the more important to ensure digital marketing is cognizant of its customers’ needs, says transformation VP Ajay Kapoor.

Microsoft Releases New Custom AI Services for Businesses (VentureBeat)
Four customizable artificial intelligence services were made available today from Microsoft Cognitive Services to enable businesses and developers to create AI. Businesses using the service can add their own terminology or reduce the number of people with access to the AI made with specific data.

Amazon’s Alexa Gets Visual with Echo Show: What Does It Mean for Brands? (GeoMarketing)
Does Amazon Echo Show’s video and touchscreen device further alter expectations among consumers and brands? It may be early days, but Dina Abdelrazik, Research Analyst for tech consultancy Parks Associates, broke it down for us.

Adsquare Joins Proximity Partners to Help Buyers Dive into Location Data (AdExchanger)
Mobext has worked with several location data and service providers, including xAd and Factual. Most recently, it’s been experimenting with Adsquare, a mobile data exchange that’s starting to aggregate location and sensor data from providers under one roof for use in segmentation and mobile programmatic buying.

Uber Faces Threat of Strick Regulation in Europe After Latest Legal Setback (WSJ)
An influential adviser to Europe’s highest court delivered a big blow to Uber Technologies Inc. on Thursday, recommending the court rule the U.S. ride-hailing company should be regulated as a transportation company, not an online platform as Uber had argued.

As Amazon Thrives, Macy’s Tumbles After Sales Pummeled More Than Expected (Bloomberg)
As Americans abandon department stores, Macy’s Inc. sales are falling even faster than expected. The retailer’s shares plunged after it posted a 4.6 percent decline in same-store sales last quarter.

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