News and Analysis
Google Revises Policy Asking Users for Permission to Listen to Their Assistant Recordings
The fact that this was an open practice that at least some consumers simply did not understand they were either opting into or automatically participating in points to calls for greater transparency and regulation. Google says it “fell short” of its “high standards” on the issue, but legislation like Europe’s GDPR, CCPA, and legislation in some 10 other US states indicates those standards may be imposed on tech companies by government agencies going forward.
5 Privacy-Focused Mapping Solutions
Mainstream navigation apps like Google Maps and Waze seem to dominate the marketplace, but consumers who are interested in maintaining as much online privacy as possible have options to choose from, too.
Innovative mapping and navigation companies are launching new platforms with user privacy in mind. Framing themselves as the “private” alternative to general use navigation apps, these platforms collect minimal personal data from users and often work without tracking user locations.
Here are five examples of privacy-focused mapping platforms.
California’s Gig Economy Bill Becomes Law
The landmark California gig economy bill that may force companies such as Uber, Lyft, and DoorDash that employ thousands of drivers as independent contractors to hire those people as employees became law today. Democratic Governor Gavin Newsom signed the bill.
If the bill does ultimately affect Uber, Lyft, DoorDash, and other companies in the so-called gig economy thriving on venture capital for the last decade, it will severely disrupt their business models, which rely on cheap labor.
Commentary
Constructing the Enterprise Priority List for Local Search
“I think some local managers in corporations are getting pushback as to why their local traffic is falling, and if it is why should they maintain local pages? What is hard to explain is that those pages DO feed Google,” Mike Blumenthal tells David Mihm. “But these locations need to be not just well structured, but easily found and crawled by Google, not hidden behind some opaque code.”
Report: Social Media Continues to Be a Top Marketing Tactic for Local Merchants
The fourth edition of Street Fight’s Local Merchant Report shows a continued movement to social media as a preferred marketing tactic among local merchants. They deem it their most effective tactic, so they’re increasing their spending. Analysis of the survey suggests that would-be marketing suppliers can help them integrate social with their own site and email campaigns, as well as assisting them with reputation management and reviews.
Latest Posts
Case Study: Hardware Store Shifts Marketing Mix, Joins the ‘Buy Local’ Movement
Taylor’s Do it Center is never going to be able to compete with corporate heavyweights like Home Depot and Lowe’s. But the company is hoping to turn its locally owned status into an asset, rather than a liability, by partnering with other small businesses and educating consumers on the benefits of buying local.
Street Fight Daily: AmazonFresh to See Major Expansion, Tribune Rejects Second Gannett Offer
A roundup of today’s big stories in hyperlocal publishing, marketing, commerce, and technology… Amazon to Launch Fresh Grocery Delivery Service in New Markets Including U.K. and Boston… Tribune Rejects Gannett’s Second Offer, Talks May Be Ahead… Why Buy Buttons on Pinterest and Instagram Still Haven’t Taken Off for Retailers…
VCs Share 7 Strategies for Hyperlocal Startups Looking to Raise Money
As access to venture capital funding softens within the startup community, it’s becoming even more important for hyperlocal firms to think more strategically about how they’ll fund their great ideas. Here, several top VCs talk about the groundwork that founders need to do to make their funding goals a reality in 2016.
Street Fight Daily: Microsoft Building Its Own Bot, UberMedia Expanding Attribution Business
A roundup of today’s big stories in hyperlocal publishing, marketing, commerce, and technology… Walmart Outperforms Estimates, but Online Retail Lags… Looking for a Sustainable Business Model for a Regional Newspaper? Start at the Star Tribune… Microsoft is Building Its Own Bot to Rival Google Assistant and Viv…
Swirl Looks to Close the Digital Divide Between E-Commerce and Physical Stores
Pushing back against a shifting tide and changing consumer behavior won’t be easy, but executives at in-store digital marketing technology provider Swirl believe they can change the way consumers shop. Hilmi Ozguc, Swirl’s CEO, says the key will be arming physical retailers with the same datasets as e-commerce giants.
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