News and Analysis
Businesses Find Opportunities to Fundraise, Connect Through Local Platforms
Consumers say they want to help the local businesses in their communities, and many are buying gift cards and launching GoFundMe campaigns to help their favorite restaurants, retailers, and brewpubs avoid going out of business. But restaurants and other essential businesses that remain open still need a way to let customers know how they’re selling their products and services, and how they can place orders without showing up in person.
The neighborhood social networking app Nextdoor is one of a number of platforms working on ways to ease that burden. Yelp, Facebook, and Patch are joining the fight.
PlaceIQ Buys Freckle IoT, Marking Second Instance of Location Consolidation in 2 Days
Location intelligence firm PlaceIQ bought fellow location data and measurement company Freckle IoT. The financial terms of the deal were not disclosed.
The move comes just a day after the bombshell announcement that location leader Foursquare was merging with location data firm Factual. Speculation that the Foursquare-Factual merger could portend additional consolidation in the location data-driven marketing and insights industry came to fruition quicker than analysts could have predicted.
Foursquare Merges with Factual, Forming Location Intelligence Powerhouse
Location intelligence firm Foursquare is merging with location data firm Factual, the companies announced today. The financial terms of the deal were not disclosed. Factual founder Gil Elbaz will join Foursquare’s executive team and board of directors.
The deal pairs Foursquare’s best-in-class location-based attribution technology and developer tools with Factual’s top-notch audience segments, Foursquare CEO David Shim told the Wall Street Journal. Industry insiders say the move may portend additional consolidation during the COVID-19-fueled economic downturn and positions Foursquare as an even stronger leader in the space.
Commentary
At Cloud Summit, a Focus on the Transition to SaaS Services
ReachLocal’s CPO Kris Barton noted that SaaS churn is typically between 6 percent and 22 percent. Media churn is between 39 percent and 86 percent. The key is to provide an integrated marketing system, said Barton: “Sixty-four percent are more likely to use a marketing system when it is integrated with core business systems.”
Google My Business Looks to the Future
Aditya Tendulkar is about as close to the source as you can get when it comes to the strategic direction of Maps and Google My Business. We asked him a few questions about the quick pace of feature releases in recent months and the new openness Google seems to be showing toward listing management companies and crowdsourcing.
Street Fight Launches Third Annual “State of Hyperlocal” Survey
We’re kicking off our third annual executive survey about the state of the local marketing ecosystem. We welcome readers to share their thoughts on the state of the industry by filling out a short survey on what their companies are prioritizing and what challenges they’re facing. As a thank-you, we’re offering a free report or a discount on Summit tickets.
Latest Posts
Street Fight Daily: Instagram Boosts Ads for Brands, Google Acquires Urban Engines for Maps
A roundup of today’s big stories in hyperlocal publishing, marketing, commerce, and technology… Instagram’s Deems Its Brand-Focused, Call-to-Action Ads Work in Progress… Google Acquires Urban Engines to Bolster Location-Based Analytics… Data-Driven Marketing is Driving More Revenues…
As Merchants Flock to Social Media, How Can Community News Sites Keep Pace?
According to a new survey, SMBs are turning to social media more and more. But they may be doing it not just because they’re getting good results but also because they have better buying experiences with Facebook and others.
Case Study: Portland Retailer Reaches New Customers with At-Home Try-On
EcoVibe Apparel is working with a hyperlocal startup called Dorrbell and giving local shoppers a way to try on items from the comfort of their homes. Customers go online and choose products they would like to try on, they then schedule a time for them to be dropped off.
Street Fight Daily: Instacart Aims for Positive Cash Flow, Google Drives App Installs
A roundup of today’s big stories in hyperlocal publishing, marketing, commerce, and technology… Instacart Looks to Build an Empire with Promoted Ad Business… Google’s App Ad Business Drivers Billion Installs in Last Four Months… Ads Help Businesses Stay Afloat, But Slows Load Times End Web Visits…
6 Click-to-Text Tools for Local Businesses
Seventy-five percent of millennials prefer to text versus call on their mobile phones, according to a survey by the mobile engagement platform OpenMarket, and 76% prefer to receive texts from businesses because they say texting is more convenient and less disruptive.
Will the ‘Physical Web’ Help Retailers Reduce Annoying Ads?
While still in its infancy, and not yet realized, the physical web will prove to be an asset to franchisees looking to connect, and engage with, potential customers from their surrounding neighborhood – without barraging them with untimely and irrelevant messaging.
Street Fight Daily: Inside the Self-Driving Uber Experience, Billy Penn’s Sister Site Launches
A roundup of today’s big stories in hyperlocal publishing, marketing, commerce, and technology… Uber Starts Self-Driving Car Pickups in Pittsburgh: Here’s a Peek Into the Experience… The Incline, Billy Penn’s New Sister Site, Launches in Pittsburgh… Amazon’s Echo Is Finally Being Released in the UK and Germany…
HomeAdvisor CEO: The Marketplace for Home Services Is ‘Operationally Intense’
“If you’re going to get into [the home services] space, you better be prepared to really invest and for the long haul,” says Chris Terrill. “There are no quick fixes or technology that’s suddenly going to turn this thing around.”
App Connects Travelers With Revelers, Parties Ensue
Thanks to the recently refreshed Party With a Local app, this lonely planet of ours may become just a bit less so — or a least more social. “The idea … came from my own experiences of finding that a night out anywhere is better with a local, but it’s not always easy to meet locals,” CEO Dan Fennessy said of the service.
Street Fight Daily: Google Data Supports Mobile-First Ads, Brands Infiltrate iMessage
A roundup of today’s big stories in hyperlocal publishing, marketing, commerce, and technology… Google’s Mobile User Data Shines Light on Consumer Purchasing Habits… As Apple Opens iMessage Store, Brands from Burger King to Betty Boop Want In… Verizon Buys Connected Lighting Company, Adding More Location Capability…
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AI Won’t Fix Advertising – It May Scale Its Chaotic Nature