News and Analysis

Voice’s Impact on Local: The Knowledge Graph, SEO, Paid Search

Share this:

We know voice will play a major role in Local in 2019, as voice recognition software gets more sophisticated, “near me” searches skyrocket, and marketers wise up to where the voice-local opportunity really lies in the near future: smartphones. In this article, let’s get more specific. Voice will affect the fundamentals of local search: the Knowledge Graph, SEO, and paid search, for example. Drawing from Street Fight lead analyst Mike Boland’s 2018 white paper on voice, I break down those changes below.

These 5 AR Providers Are Changing the Beauty Space

Share this:

Augmented reality isn’t just for dog filters and Pokémon catching. A growing number of beauty brands are hopping on the AR bandwagon, hoping that virtual makeup try-ons with facial recognition will help spur e-commerce sales. Here’s a peek at how five AR technology providers are making their mark on the beauty and fashion industries.

5 Brands Innovating with Augmented Reality

Share this:

While just 12% of brands say they’re interested in exploring AR in the near-term, according to a recent Street Fight survey, that figure is expected to increase exponentially in the coming years. Part of that anticipated explosion in the AR market is thanks to companies like Facebook and Snapchat, which are aggressively building out their AR offerings. It’s also thanks to innovative thinkers at major brand retailers, who are reimagining AR technology and making it all their own. Let’s take a closer look at how five brands are innovating in the AR space.

Commentary

What the C-Suite Needs to Think About When It Comes to Delivering On-Demand

Share this:

Today over 2 billion local deliveries are made annually in the U.S. And every delivery company that wants to remain competitive in this space must be able to offer an on-demand experience to their customers — whether it has its own fleet of drivers or uses independent contractors to provide its service. In a complicated […]

Lessons Learned in the Email Marketing Wars About ‘Selling to SMBs’

Share this:

Constant Contact’s recent announcement that it would be acquired by EIG, got me reflecting on the past 15 years and how much the industry’s evolution has taught me about what it takes to effectively sell to small and medium-sized businesses (SMBs).

Will ApplePay Be the Company’s Next Mega-Business?

Share this:

It is a truth universally acknowledged that Apple is currently in need of a really big new product (a la iPhone or iPad) to keep growing. I think the company has ample opportunity to turn the payments industry on its head and make ApplePay its next big product.

Latest Posts

Better Use of Data Could Dramatically Alter Local Digital Sales

Share this:

Data is a core principle of digital marketing today, yet when it comes to local, big data has not penetrated very deeply where the sales process is concerned. All of that is about to change with the appearance of multiple companies trying to put data at the center of the way digital marketing is presented and sold to local businesses.

Street Fight Daily: Groupon Will Cut 1,100 Jobs, LivingSocial is Planning a Comeback

Share this:

A roundup of today’s big stories in hyperlocal publishing, marketing, commerce, and technology… Groupon to Cut 1,100 Jobs, Pull Out of 7 Countries (Chicago Tribune)… The Resurrection of LivingSocial (DCInno)… The Commoditization of Ad Tech — How the Cross-Device Landscape is Going to Get Worse Before It Gets Better (Medium)…

5 Tools for Measuring Social Marketing Results

Share this:

Social media has become an essential part of the local marketer’s playbook. But with so many platforms and networks to choose from, and so many metrics to measure, it’s challenging for small business owners to know what they’re getting in return for their budgets. Here are six platforms with advanced tools for measuring results on social spending.

Report: Breaking into the Inbox with Successful Pitches to Local Merchants

Share this:

A new report from Street Fight Insights found that when being pitched a new product or service, local merchants want information on costs, a clear explanation — backed up by case studies — of how the product or service will benefit their business, and all their questions or concerns addressed.

Street Fight Daily: Starbucks Launches Mobile Ordering, a Recap of Google’s Local Search Updates

Share this:

A roundup of today’s big stories in hyperlocal publishing, marketing, commerce, and technology… Never Wait in Line Again: Starbucks Rolls Out Mobile Ordering Nationwide (Mashable)… The New Google Local Search Display (Search Engine Land)… Postmates Unveils Revamped Platform, Announces 4 Million Deliveries (TechCrunch)…

Europe’s adsquare Unlocks More Data in New ‘Marketplace’ for Hyper-Contextual Advertising

Share this:

For brands and retailers, it’s evident that the battle to win customers will be fought with data — lots of it. But more data could also be too much of a good thing. A new self-service offering from Berlin-based adsquare aims to help advertisers “navigate the data deluge.”

Did Apple Just Solve Deep Linking?

Share this:

One of the coolest things to come out Apple’s September product event was 3D Touch, which lets users indicate levels of intent based on how hard they press apps and links. Beyond the gadgetry of 3D Touch, one thing hasn’t been said: This is essentially deep linking, an area that will be a key battleground in local. 3D Touch could preempt the deep linking dilemma by peeking deep within other apps — a lighter and more elegant solution I’m calling “deep previewing.”

Street Fight Daily: Understanding the Decline of Search, Ad Blocking App Creator’s Second Thoughts

Share this:

A roundup of today’s big stories in hyperlocal publishing, marketing, commerce, and technology… Google’s Search Business Might Not Be as Water-Tight as People Think (Business Insider)…The Creator of the iPhone’s Top-Selling Ad Blocker Pulled His App off the Market (AdWeek)… Target Wants to Turn Minneapolis into a Mini-Silicon Valley (Fortune)…

Raise Report: Lightspeed, Chef, CartoDB Land Big Rounds

Share this:

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 Lightspeed, Chef, CartoDB, and Fundera.

ShopKeep’s Richelson: You Have to Specialize, Then Grow

Share this:

“There is no way a company can start with a holistic service. You have to specialize then grow. But I will say because of the cloud it’s very easy to bolt on other providers to create a holistic service,” said ShopKeep founder Jason Richelson about branching out beyond his company’s initial focus on SMB point-of-sale software.