News and Analysis
Waymo Releases Data Set to Catalyze Autonomous Driving Research
Why should local search specialists care about autonomous vehicles? The same way mobile, with its natural on-the-go use cases, has become the hub of “near me” searches that lead consumers into local businesses, cars will become the next mobile device, catalyzing the next wave of “near me” queries. Self-driving cars are not tangential to the future of local; they are central to it.
4 Major Takeaways About Consumer Privacy Concerns
Location data firm Factual commissioned a study conducted by the University of Southern California applied psychology master’s program to take the pulse of consumers on data privacy. Unsurprisingly, not all consumers demographic groups share the same levels and types of concern. Here are four major takeaways from the survey of 1,002 smartphone users aged 18 to 65.
By Unlocking Vehicle Data, Car Rental Companies Help Build Smarter Cities
As operator of three of the most recognized brands in the industry — Avis, Budget and Zipcar — Avis Budget Group represents a mobility ecosystem of more than 11,000 locations in approximately 180 countries. The company recently partnered with the connected-car data firm Otonomo to manage its connected cars on Otonomo’s automotive data services platform. Otonomo will help ABG derive insights from its large connected vehicle fleet, including anonymizing, standardizing, and delivering data from Toyota, Ford, Peugeot and GM vehicles.
The deal between ABG and Otonomo is expected to generate more than 4 billion road miles of data this year, and 7 billion road miles of data by 2020, with much of that data being used for predictive maintenance, smart city planning, and streamlining of the rental process.
Commentary
Tried and True Marketing Tactics SMBs Can Borrow From Premium Brands
Many small-but-growing businesses have a multi-store operation and a dynamic online presence, but simply can’t afford the custom-built, integrated retail and ecommerce systems that keep a premium brand’s customer experience tight and consistent. Here are some tactics they can employ to hack that problem.
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Case Study: Washington Retailer Drives Sales with Localized Campaigns
“Our goal is to concentrate on how we can engage better through mobile and video — quality content that people want to engage with is the measuring stick,” says Jordan Roorda. “It’s a complete change with how ‘success’ is measured, it’s like giving a thoughtful present, not a gift card.”
Street Fight Daily: Yelp’s New Home Services Feature, Return of the QR Code?
A roundup of today’s big stories in hyperlocal publishing, marketing, commerce, and technology… Now You Can Get Price Quotes for Home Services Inside Yelp (BuzzFeed)… Will Facebook Salvage QR Codes from the Dustbin of Local Marketing History? (Blumenthals)… Cross-Device Campaigns 60% Better Than PC-Only for Offline Conversions (Marketing Land)…
Inevitably, There’s a ‘Bot of Bots’ Digging Up Local Services
Bot Hunter allows queries about the latest hot bots, and its makers envision lots of local bots populating the platform. Key use cases include scheduling appointments, retrieving basic information, receiving automatic follow-ups after certain purchases, as well as promotions and loyalty programs.
Street Fight Daily: Local News Publishers Form Ad Company, Google Still Betting on Beacons
A roundup of today’s big stories in hyperlocal publishing, marketing, commerce, and technology… 4 of the Biggest Media Publishers in the U.S. Form an Advertising Company (Business Insider)… Google May Have Found a Way to Make the Real-World Web Work (Wired)… Apple Pursues New Search Features for a Crowded App Store (Bloomberg)…
Street Fight Daily: Kayak to Debut Restaurant Search, How Brands Can Use Chatbots Effectively
A roundup of today’s big stories in hyperlocal publishing, marketing, commerce, and technology… Kayak to Launch Restaurants, Tours, and Activities Comparison-Shopping Features (Skift)… Can Brands Turn Real-Time Facebook Messenger Chats into Meaningful Engagements? (Mobile Marketer)… Ride-Hailing Start-Ups Compete in ‘Uber for Children’ Niche (New York Times)…
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