News and Analysis
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.
Constant Contact Expands Beyond Email, Adds Website Builder for SMBs
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
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
How New Location Data Tools Are Making Attribution a Reality
The future of retail and attribution is evolving quickly and allowing brands for the first time to have a better understanding of how effective their advertising is. While the search for in-store attribution is at the top of the every marketer’s wish list it’s important that all know the strengths and weaknesses of each methodology.
Can Open Source Thinking Create a Sustainable Business Model for Local Journalism?
Open source software changed the landscape for the entire computing industry. Rather than commoditizing software completely, it actually made software development easier and more productive. I see tremendous parallels in the publishing industry today.
Research Roundup: Comparing Franchisees and Independent Professionals
Comparing some surveys focused at opposite ends of the local small business spectrum — franchise operators and self-employed professionals — it feels like, though the industry is selling these groups the same marketing and commerce technology and services, the two segments are more different than similar.
Latest Posts
Weather Company’s Webster Touts the Power of Forecast Data in Local Marketing
“We’re starting to have conversations about how we can take data and predict consumer behavior based on weather conditions,” says the Weather Company’s EMEA chief Ross Webster. “We’re not just looking at the weather as absolute … It’s much more about the different layers of weather data.”
Case Study: Timberland Empowers Local Retailers with Branded Content
“We know that our local retailers are the best way to engage and influence consumers,” says Frank Hwang, Timberland’s senior manager for digital and paid media. The company works with local retailers to provide product storytelling and brand lifestyle content for their digital and social media channels.
Street Fight Daily: Google’s New Tool for SMBs, Facebook Opens Up to Branded Content
A roundup of today’s big stories in hyperlocal publishing, marketing, commerce, and technology… One Year After ‘Mobilegeddon,’ Google Plans to Release a New Tool for Small Businesses (Business Insider)… Facebook Opens the Door to Branded Content from Top Publishers (Digiday)… Daily Mail Parent in Talks with Private Equity for Yahoo Bid (Reuters)…
Openings and New Hires at IBM, Verve, Infutor, and Pandora
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 Review Trackers, Yik Yak and Unacast.
Raise Report: Luxe and Planday score fresh rounds
Every two weeks, we round up some of the biggest fundraises taking place in hyperlocal marketing, commerce, and tech. This week’s edition includes new cash infusions for Frichti, Virool, and Influenster.
Street Fight Daily: Verizon and Google’s Yahoo Bids, Foursquare President on Data Accuracy
A roundup of today’s big stories in hyperlocal publishing, marketing, commerce, and technology… Verizon to Proceed With Yahoo Bid, Google Weighs Offer (Bloomberg)… The Right Questions to Ask About Location Data Accuracy (eMarketer)… Facebook Is Testing Weather Alerts on Mobile (The Next Web)…
Unacast Looks to Monetize Its Location Data, Hires ironSource’s Cunningham as CRO
Beacon and proximity data company Unacast announced today that Chris Cunningham, formerly the Vice President of Revenue for ironSource, is joining the company as chief revenue officer. Cunningham will help Unacast to monetize all the data it aggregates from beacons and sensors.
IAB Primer on Ad Blocking for Publishers Leans Toward Carrots Over Sticks
“Ad blocking is a crucial wakeup call to brands and all that serve them about their abuse of consumers’ good will,” says the IAB. Street Fight recently spoke with IAB general manager Scott Cunningham about how the group is working to help publishers combat ad blocking.
The Context for Contextual Marketing Is Changing
The idea behind contextual marketing makes a lot of sense. But in practice, contextual marketing is getting pretty hairy, especially for location-based marketing. That’s because context is getting more complicated
Street Fight Daily: HERE Wants to Compete with Google Maps, Yahoo’s Grim Financials
A roundup of today’s big stories in hyperlocal publishing, marketing, commerce, and technology… Seeking Investments from Microsoft and Amazon, HERE Signals Intent to Compete Aggressively with Google Maps (Search Engine Land)… Yahoo Paints Grim Financial Picture as Deadline for Bids Nears (New York Times)… Why Pinterest Forces You Off Its Mobile Site and Into Its App (VentureBeat)…
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Meta Is Automating Ads, But Brands Still Face a Bigger Problem