News and Analysis

California’s Gig Economy Bill Becomes Law

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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. 

Constant Contact Expands Beyond Email, Adds Website Builder for SMBs

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Constant Contact, known for its email marketing platform, is expanding to offer an AI-driven website builder as well as tools for branding, productivity, and e-commerce. It’s the first major expansion for Constant Contact since its acquisition by Endurance International Group.

The company’s new website builder is specifically designed for SMB owners and operators without the time or expertise typically required to build an effective site from scratch. Constant Contact claims sites can be created in minutes.

Captivate and Hivestack Partner to Expand Programmatic DOOH Ads

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Location-based digital video network Captivate and location-based mar tech company Hivestack are teaming up to expand access to programmatic digital out-of-home ads, the companies announced.

Hivestack’s marketplace and ad exchange will allow customers to buy video inventory on Captivate, which will bring engaging video ads to offices across North America. Captivate offers a professional audience of particularly high interest to marketers.

Commentary

Location Data for Brands: ‘Alternative Facts’ No Longer

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As the proximity industry grows, it’s important for brands investing in location and proximity to understand the differences between the various data points and technologies on the market. These differentiators can greatly affect how the proximity and location data is applied towards a brand’s marketing goals.

Made for Each Other: Wallets, Loyalty, and Mobile Payments

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It’s fair to say the local marketing industry has been a little disappointed by the adoption of mobile payments. The combination of a sluggish hardware upgrade cycle and consumer reluctance appears discouraging. But there are catalysts on the near horizon.

Unlocking Audiences for Brands: Uniting Client Goals with Demographic Research

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Uniting your client’s instincts with actionable data from social media, keyword research, content analysis, and analytics creates a hyperlocal strategy to reach their most interested clients. There are four key strategies for marketing companies that want to take their clients beyond mere traffic increases to high ROI and conversion rates.

Latest Posts

Pasadena Now: 20 Articles Daily and 75 Advertisers — But Big Challenges As Well

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“We built an online community newspaper the old-fashioned way — with daily deadlines, plenty of shoe leather and a grueling schedule of personally attending dozens of community events every month,” publisher James Macpherson says about his 12-year-old local news site.

Street Fight Daily: Google Debuts Assistant, Investors Losing Interest in Delivery

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A roundup of today’s big stories in hyperlocal publishing, marketing, commerce, and technology… Meet Google Assistant: A New Search Platform, Rather Than A Gadget or an App… Swirl Looks to Close the Digital Divide Between E-Commerce and Physical Stores

ClipCall Uses Mobile and Video to Help Consumers Connect With Home Service Providers

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Lots of companies have taken a whack at the local home services space — from Angie’s List to a raft of startups. ClipCall, which came out of beta in January and will present t Street Fight summit West on June 7th, relies on customers using the company’s app to record video of a job they need doing and then sends that video out to nearby experts.

How True Religion Uses Wearables to Elevate the Shopping Experience

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“It’s no secret that today’s retail landscape has shifted from ‘shopping efficiency’ to experiential. Customers want and expect elevated treatment from their brands. Specifically, brands that they frequent,” says the company’s SVP for direct to consumer, John Hazen.

Street Fight Daily: Google to Introduce Echo Rival, Amazon to Open More Stores

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A roundup of today’s big stories in hyperlocal publishing, marketing, commerce, and technology… Google To Introduce its Voice-Activated Home Device… Amazon To Open More Brick-and-Mortar Stores, Beef Up Prime Services… ClipCall Uses Mobile and Video to Help Consumers Connect with Home Service Providers…

Unacast Raises $5 Million to Build Out Its Beacon Network

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CEO Thomas Walle (who will be speaking at #SFSW16 in just three weeks) says the company will use the funding to develop more partnerships to build out its network of proximity companies so that it can use the aggregate data to “index the physical world.”

Sponsored Post: 5 Social Media Mistakes SMBs Make — and How to Fix Them

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Whether an SMB uses Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, LinkedIn, and/or Pinterest or other networks, they need to consider the following mistakes they can make and how to successfully navigate the sometimes-choppy waters as they grow their social media presence and customer engagement…

Weighing the Local Promise of Bots and Conversational Commerce

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Are bots the future of the internet? Maybe, maybe not; like the buzz around Google Glass in 2013, we’re in the midst of a moment when it’s hard to tell the difference between hype and technological breakthrough.

Street Fight Daily: Product Ads Come to Google Image Search, Weighing Bots’ Promise

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A roundup of today’s big stories in hyperlocal publishing, marketing, commerce, and technology… Google Product Listing Ads Officially Launch in Image Search… MCX, the Big Retailer Answer to Apple Pay, Announces Layoffs and Another Product Delay… Amazon Launches Restaurant Delivery in Manhattan with More Than 350 Eateries

Homebrew VC Wants to Build Out Startups That Bring Value to Location

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The firm has built up an impressive roster of investments in seed stage companies focused on the “bottom-up economy.” Co-founders Hunter Walk and Satya Patel have a particular interest in seeing businesses advance in tech and value-added location services.