News and Analysis

Yelp Revamps its Business Control Center and Releases Other Pandemic-Adaptive Features

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The announcement follows massive layoffs at the company as advertising plunged along with SMB revenue in the face of coronavirus-fueled lockdowns. But a recent Brandify survey showed Yelp remains a massive presence in the local digital marketing space: 64% of US consumers are somewhat or very likely to turn to Yelp when searching for restaurants, second only to the leader across verticals, Google.

Yelp’s new features will prove especially helpful for businesses in the months, if not years during which Covid-19 continues to affect everyday habits, but a number of the changes align with digital marketing best practices that will serve Yelp clients well beyond the next 12 months. Below is a rundown.

Street Fight’s May Theme: Local Commerce’s Recovery Playbook

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In our own reporting and analysis (and through the words of our contributors) this month, we’ll define the playbook for local re-entry. As business ramps back up, what will best practices be for local staples such as search marketing and reputation management?

We’ve already covered how businesses are digitizing to adapt to the challenges of commerce in a time of social distancing, embracing curbside pickup, social advertising, pop-up distribution centers, online classes, and retail tech. With an even longer-term view, we’ll examine how this period of uncertainty will shape the future of local commerce.

AARP Launches Platform Empowering Neighbors to Assist Each Other during Pandemic

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Built by the team at AARP Innovation Labs over the course of just a few weeks, the Community Connections mutual aid aggregation platform gives volunteers and people in need a place to connect. It features a searchable directory of local mutual aid organizations, which are typically informal groups that provide key daily services, such as picking up groceries and delivering medications to people who are at high risk for contracting Covid-19. People can access the platform to find volunteer groups nearby, with links to those groups’ websites and locator maps.

Commentary

Is Voice the Future of Local AR?

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Visual AR won’t go away and is aligned with several use cases like gaming. But audio could get here sooner and take over a certain share of micro moments like getting informed about people or surroundings. We’re talking local discovery, shopping, and proximity-based social media.

The Biggest Roadblocks to Building a Top Loyalty Program

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To build a successful loyalty program, make sure that customers can see what points and rewards they’ve earned without making them jump through hoops. Make your system as transparent and frictionless as possible, and try to communicate via each member’s preferred channel.

LBMA Podcast: Google’s Just A Line, Walmart & Handy, Snapchat

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Also on the show this week: Drive Time Metrics, VisuWall, the Church of England, Macy’s, Home Depot + Pinterest, Philips Lighting.

Latest Posts

How Marketers Can Convert Mobile Shoppers Into Sales

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Although consumers are willing to buy on mobile, the medium is primarily the gateway to get the consumer into the store to make the purchase. A business can prepare for mobile shoppers in many ways, but have you considered the many challenges that mobile shopping creates?

Street Fight Daily: Google’s Mobile-First Index, Mobile Marketing to Millennials

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A roundup of today’s big stories in hyperlocal publishing, marketing, commerce, and technology… Case Study: Some Potential Sticking Points with Google’s Mobile-First Index… Report: Millenials, Gen-Zers, And Brick-and-Mortar Retail… Uber’s Clash with Regulators Moves to Self-Driving Cars…

Openings and New Hires at Foursquare, Pinterest and Verve

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Every two weeks, Geoff Michener covers some of the latest job changes taking place in this dynamic industry. This week’s edition includes moves and new openings at Yext, Gravy, CTIA, and Soleo.

Raise Report: New Funding for JumpCrew, Thanx, Breather

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Every two weeks, we round up some of the biggest fundraises taking place in hyperlocal marketing, commerce, and tech. This week’s edition includes funding for Movinga, Nectar, Mojio, and Splash.

LBMA Podcast: Amazon Go, Minute Maid, InMarket and PlaceIQ

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This Week in Location Based Marketing is a weekly video podcast from the Location Based Marketing Association with Asif Khan and Aubriana Lopez. On the show: Ashley Furniture, Google’s Winter Wonderland, Gimbal / Mobile Majority, Mall of America, and Shelfbucks.

Street Fight Daily: Retailers Try Google’s Promoted Places, GrubHub’s Social Strategy

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A roundup of today’s big stories in hyperlocal publishing, marketing, commerce, and technology… Retailers Test Out Google Maps Promoted Places Ads… 65% of Connected Device Owners Are Open To IoT Advertising… With Digital Revolution, Expectations for Marketers Shift Toward Revenue Generation…

Foursquare Data Shows Shopping Patterns for Star Wars Fans and Trekkies

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Marking the release of the new Star Wars movie, Rogue One, today, Foursquare has put together an interesting infographic analyzing data from people who checked into Star Wars: The Force Awakens and Star Trek Beyond.

SweetIQ Launches Next-Gen Listings Network

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Local search marketing platform SweetIQ is releasing its “next generation” listings network today, enabling marketers to list businesses across more than 100 search and discovery websites.

Brandify Launches Mobile-First Incubation Lab

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Multi-location digital marketing platform Brandify announced this morning that it’s debuting Brandify Labs, a mobile-first incubator focused on innovation. “The local marketing ecosystem is consolidating,” says Brandify CEO Manish Patel. “After 20 years in this market I predict there is going to be a vacuum, one that is going to call for more intelligent and sophisticated […]

Street Fight Daily: Microsoft Partners With Here, Uber Self-Driving Ops in SF Halted

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A roundup of today’s big stories in hyperlocal publishing, marketing, commerce, and technology… Here and Microsoft Expand Mapping Deal, Expanding Into Connected Car Data… California DMV Orders Uber to Stop Operating Its Self-Driving Cars In SF… Google’s Share of Referrals to Publishers Drops Significantly…