News and Analysis
Another Day, Another Story About Exposed Facebook User Data
While we don’t yet know if any nefarious activity took place as a result of this latest news of Facebook user information’s exposure to third parties, the bottom line, as per the pithy genie line above, is that Facebook handled user data so recklessly for so long that there’s no guarantee the company can prevent exposure going forward. That means, potential regulations for which Mark Zuckerberg is now calling notwithstanding, the end of the Facebook privacy-breach saga is likely not in sight.
Walmart Enlists Google to Power Voice-Driven Grocery Shopping
Partnerships between retailers and tech platforms will provide increasingly important benefits for local discovery as voice becomes a more established search channel. In the age of voice-driven local search, consumers looking for products and services will become accustomed to having only one option surfaced (as Assistant is unlikely to rattle off five choices), which means being a consumer’s first option will be paramount for brick-and-mortars.
Interactive Advertising Bureau Europe Catches Heat from Privacy Advocates
Johnny Ryan, chief policy and industry officer at Brave, a privacy-first web browser, filed a complaint with the Irish Data Commission against Interactive Advertising Bureau Europe on Tuesday evening based on the latter’s alleged violation of GDPR. A statement circulated by Brave on Tuesday identified IAB Europe as a leading lobbyist for the digital tracking industry and accused the company of violating GDPR guidelines with its “cookie wall,” a message encountered by those navigating to its website that requires visitors to consent to tracking from both IAB Europe and third parties.
Commentary
Pokémon Go and Local: Why Now?
The lesson from the phenomenon isn’t for local tech companies to try and build the next Pokémon Go — but rather to build a similarly justifiable value exchange for sharing location. Advertisers and ad networks should likewise work with apps that have that higher likelihood of user opt-in.
Why Local Businesses Should Embrace Google’s New Rich Answers
If you’re concerned about attracting customers through SEO content, you likely have mixed feelings about the recent enhancements made by Google to improve user experience. But here are three ways that Rich Answers can actually improve the quality of your web traffic.
Lessons for Mobile Marketers From Meeker’s 2016 Internet Trends Report
The report focuses on several trends that should be of interest to retail marketers and their mobile marketing strategies. For starters, there is less differentiation between products, brands, and retailers. These days, products evolve into brands, brands become retailers, and retailers become products.
Latest Posts
Street Fight Daily: Google Partners with HomeAdvisor, New Groupon CEO’s Vision
A roundup of today’s big stories in hyperlocal publishing, marketing, commerce, and technology… Google Gets Deeper into Home Services (CNBC)… New Groupon CEO Says the Local Deals Pioneer Is Undervalued, Underestimated (GeekWire)… Foursquare Has Figured Out the Hottest Restaurants Around America Right Now (Tech Insider)…
LBMA Podcast: Starship Technologies Planning Fleet of Delivery Robots, MediaSignage Geotargets Moving Cars
On the show: Starship Technologies is planning a fleet of delivery robots; MediaSignage geotargets moving vehicles; LISNR raises $10 million; Amazon kills Amazon Local and Amazon Register. Plus, member news from Facebook; Walgreens; Apple; Google; SweetIQ; what3words + ESRI.
Raise Report: Jet, Swrve, ClassPass Lock Down New Funding
Every two weeks we round up some of the biggest fundraises taking place in hyperlocal marketing, commerce, and tech. In this edition, new investments include rounds for Jet, Swrve, and ClassPass.
6 Ways SMBs Can Take Better Advantage of Programmatic Ad Buying
Automated advertising solutions that simplify media buying seem like they would be right up the small business owner’s alley, however it’s still much more common for national marketers to utilize programmatic advertising than independent merchants. Here are six strategies that small and medium-sized businesses can use to take full advantage of programmatic buying.
Street Fight Daily: The Company Rejecting Offers from Amazon and Alibaba, Drizly’s Expansion Plans
A roundup of today’s big stories in hyperlocal publishing, marketing, commerce, and technology… Amazon and Alibaba Have Approached Five-Year-Old Startup Wish, But the CEO Seems to Want More (Business Insider)… Alcohol Delivery Startup Drizly Has Global Expansion Plans for 2016 (Boston Business Journal)… Shopify’s New App Sello Allows Anyone to Create An Online Store from Their Phone (TechCrunch)…
Realtors Can Recommend Their Favorite Local Businesses Using HomeKeepr
The days of homeowners looking up a local painter or handyman in the Yellow Pages are gone. Instead, consumers are turning to review sites like Angie’s List to find the right person for the job. HomeKeepr takes a different approach. “Rather than crowdsourcing lots of reviews from strangers, we source recommendations from ‘local experts:’ real estate agents,” said co-founder and CEO Rob Morelli.
Webinar: Location-Based Marketing Strategies to Lure Holiday Shoppers
The busiest retail season of the year is upon us, and it’s shaping up to be a good one. An upcoming free Street Fight Insights webinar, presented in conjunction with Brandify and featuring immr founder Dr. Phil Hendrix, can help local business owners and their marketing and technology partners get ready for the tide of online and foot traffic. Don’t miss out on key insights that can help make your holiday season a success.
The Price of Free Listings Revisited: A Hyperlocal Business Perspective
The proliferation of online directories and directory services has made the local business owner’s life harder. It means more places to manage vital information and more third-party providers that control access to directories. Between the time and effort required to manage aggregators and the volume of citations, few small business owners do it themselves. As a result, the only stakeholders that truly know what information is authentic often are left out of the conversation.
Street Fight Daily: In-N-Out Burger Sues DoorDash, Uber Partners with TomTom
A roundup of today’s big stories in hyperlocal publishing, marketing, commerce, and technology… In-N-Out Burger Sues DoorDash for Delivering Its Food Without Permission (Recode)… Uber Signs Digital Mapping Deal with TomTom (New York Times)… Angie’s List Shares Surge After Company Rejects IAC Offer (USA Today)…
In Local Marketing, ‘Obsolete’ Is All Relative
The pace of innovation is such that many new technologies are deemed “obsolete” before small business owners get the chance to fully understand them, let alone implement them in their business. Many feel left behind the curve as a result. But obsolete is not an absolute condition when it comes to marketing techniques. Where marketing tactics and technologies are underutilized, potential for competitive gains still exists.
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