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
Apple Gets Into Position for the Voice Search Revolution
As voice search becomes more prevalent, Apple will “retain an advantage over Amazon in ‘on-the-go’ searches, since our phones are always with us,” David Mihm tells Mike Blumenthal. “Unfortunately for Apple, people overwhelmingly conduct voice searches at home. “
Three Ways Location Marketing Is Changing in 2017
People are searching differently. They’re using emoji, voice commands, and social media to find what they want on demand through a variety of channels and devices. As a result, businesses need to be more nimble and imaginative in the way they convert online searches into offline sales.
Google Maps Holiday Controversy Reflects Deeper Issues in Local Search
In cases where community values are not unanimous, public companies are faced with an ethical question, and their answers can help to shape perceptions among users. For many, the removal of a Confederate holidays from Google Maps signals that it is truly a thing of the past.
Latest Posts
Yelp’s Head of EU Public Policy: Europe Strategy Depends on Google Antitrust Case
Yelp has been vocal in its disapproval of Google’s handling of search results and is one of the complainants in the European Union’s antitrust lawsuit against the search giant. Street Fight recently caught up with Yelp’s head of EU public policy, Kostas Rossoglou, to talk about the case as well as the challenges faced by European companies hoping to break into local markets.
Case Study: Chicago Photographer Generates Leads with Paid Search Campaigns
As the digital marketing manager for Christine Waller Photography, a small photography business based in Chicago, Illinois, Conor Keenan uses many sources of traffic to generate leads. His monthly search budget runs between $250 and $500, depending on the services he’s focusing on that month.
Street Fight Daily: Amazon Building Delivery Network, ‘Research Online, Buy Offline’ Economy
A roundup of today’s big stories in hyperlocal publishing, marketing, commerce, and technology… Amazon Leases 20 Cargo Planes to Build In-House Delivery Network (Business Insider)… Report: For Every $1 Online Influenced by Reviews, Offline Impact At Least $4 (Marketing Land)… Square Posts Mixed Q4 Results, but Promise of Future Profits Boosts Stock (Recode)…
5 Staffing Marketplaces for On-Demand Vendors
The on-demand economy relies on a steady stream of self-employed workers who are willing to trade steady paychecks for flexibility and autonomy. But as the number of on-demand platforms increases, it’s becoming more of a challenge for companies to hold on to qualified workers.
UrbanSitter Leverages Online Connections to Ensure Trust in Childcare
Who can you trust to babysit your 5-year-old? For parents, finding someone reliable and trustworthy can be quite daunting. Urbansitter CEO Lynn Perkins grappled with these issues of trust and referral as she’s grown her local commerce service into a national vertical player.
When Will We Be Able to Say That Cashless Payments Have Finally ‘Arrived?’
The ubiquity of smartphones, new payment technology platforms, and ease of use have clearly caught the eye of many technology innovators and consumers. But why is this the year that cashless payments will go mainstream?
Street Fight Daily: Pinterest Opens Ad Platform to SMBs, Thumbtack Sees $1B in Local Services Spending
A roundup of today’s big stories in hyperlocal publishing, marketing, commerce, and technology… Pinterest Fully Opens Its Ad Spigot to Every Small and Medium-Sized Advertiser (Adweek)… $1B in Local Services Spending Runs Through Thumbtack (LSA Insider)… Facebook ‘Amazed by Volume of Valueless Inventory,’ Abandons New Ad Buying Platform (AdAge)…
Booker Acquires Frederick, Expands Marketing Automation for Service Businesses
The two companies had an existing partnership in place, and Booker has already rolled out Frederick’s marketing services to 200 of its existing customers. Following the deal, Frederick will retain its brand and will continue integrations with other business management systems.
Bot Local: Making Appointments Is Getting a Lot More Fun
Pingup is bringing its API-powered live booking capability to “a broader range of leading-edge consumer interfaces and platforms.” This means “Pingup-powered bots” will let consumers book and confirm appointments in real time with “tens of thousands of local businesses across the U.S.”
Street Fight Daily: Verizon Fined By FCC for Tracking Consumers, Will Google+ Be Resurrected?
A roundup of today’s big stories in hyperlocal publishing, marketing, commerce, and technology… FCC Drops the Hammer on Verizon Over ‘Supercookie’ Usage (The Next Web)… Founder of 4chan Joins Google, Presumably to Work on Google+ (Ars Technica)… Facebook’s Trojan Horse Commerce Strategy (Recode)…
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Meta Is Automating Ads, But Brands Still Face a Bigger Problem