News and Analysis
Google Is Increasingly Taking the Reins in Managing Campaigns for Advertisers
Boosting its appeal beyond the reams of consumer data and stranglehold on search that make its digital advertising business the most expansive in the world, Google is increasingly executing campaigns for advertisers, deploying both automation and its own ad experts to get the job done.
New Hires at Uberall, MightyHive, Dream Local
Every two weeks, our jobs columnist Geoff Michener provides a roundup of the latest hires in the digital marketing and media ecosystems. This week’s edition also includes new hires at Motive, JumpCrew, L’Oréal, and Pubmatic.
What Standard Cognition’s Big Play Means for Autonomous Retail
If autonomous checkout systems ever go mainstream, it will be because retailers finally figured out how to effectively harness in-store cameras to determine where customers are and what items they’re holding in real-time. Reaching that goal has proven elusive to AI technology providers thus far, but a San Francisco-based startup called Standard Cognition is hoping that its recent acquisition of Explorer.ai, a mapping and computer vision firm, will be the catalyst that’s necessary to accelerate growth and expand into new retail verticals.
Commentary
5 Timeless Sales Practices for Vendors Who Sell to SMBs
The devil is in the details: the tone of a subject line, timing of a phone call, recency of the point of contact, marketing cadence, and value proposition positioning — all impact sales. Yet many conversations tend to forget these basics and focus instead on new-age, shiny fixes.
How the Tech Emerging From CES Could Impact Local Advertisers
While some of the consumer-facing products that made headlines won’t hit store shelves for months, there was plenty to learn from the show for anyone involved in media, software, content, and design. Here’s a look at how some of these technologies could impact advertising planning and creation right now.
How Can Local Merchants Ensure That Digital Searchers Know They’re Open?
Knowing your hours of operation is one of the first searches that customers undertake as they navigate their options when they look for things to do and places to go. Being available to potential customers means managing your store hours as a dynamic and scale-able data asset.
Latest Posts
INFOGRAPHIC: The Complex SMB Marketing Ecosystem
As the head of digital strategy for a broadcaster operating local TV stations, I’ve been challenged to clearly understand the digital marketing space from an SMB perspective. So I’ve developed a chart, both to enhance my understanding and to assist SMBs in identifying potential suppliers.
‘Indie’ Times of San Diego Marches Northward With Twin Site in Metro L.A.
Digital media vet Chris Jennewein left Patch after the Aol sale, and returned to San Diego to launch the independent Times of San Diego. He is now a direct competitor to the Union-Tribune, and has started a twin regional site called MyNewsLa.com.
Street Fight Daily: Why Uber Won’t Go Public For More Than a Year, The Disappointment of Zulily
A roundup of today’s big stories in hyperlocal publishing, marketing, commerce, and technology… Why Uber Is Waiting to IPO (Inc.)… The Largest E-Commerce Acquisition Ever Is Actually a Disappointment (Recode)… In-Store Personalized Digital Display Pushes Purchases (eMarketer)…
Why Social Recommendations Are Vital for Local Online Marketplaces
There can be little disagreement that building a word-of-mouth platform is difficult. But if social recommendations are the gold standard, why should we expect users to pick solutions that provide the convenience of scheduling and booking but lack the trust of word-of-mouth?
Raise Report: Massdrop, Mogl, Kik, Zocdoc Score Robust Rounds
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 big votes of confidence for Revel Systems, Massdrop, and Peach.
Street Fight Daily: Uber Nears $2B in Revenue, Twitter Ads Get More Reach
A roundup of today’s big stories in hyperlocal publishing, marketing, commerce, and technology…… Leaked Doc: Uber Nears $2 Billion in Revenue, Expects IPO in 18-24 Months (Recode)… Twitter Gives Promoted Tweets and Video Ads More Mobile Reach (AdWeek)… Facebook Has Taken Over From Google as a Traffic Source for News (Fortune)…
Case Study: Bubble Tea Shops Use Boosted Facebook Posts for Customer Acquisition
Like many merchants, the team behind Boba Guys relies primarily on unpaid marketing campaigns for customer retention, using organic tactics like posting exclusives and inside news on social media. Ten percent of Boba Guys’ marketing is aimed at customer acquisition.
Geofencing at Events: How to Reach Potential Customers Live and On-Site
Businesses have been taking a closer look at the potential for geofencing and proximity marketing for trade shows, events, and festivals. The technology offers some rich opportunities for interactive messages, and can ensure that promotions are especially relevant.
Street Fight Daily: The Magnitude of Instagram’s API Switch, PayPal Acquires Mobile Commerce Startup
A roundup of today’s big stories in hyperlocal publishing, marketing, commerce, and technology… Why an Instagram Tweak Spells the Beginning of a Multibillion-Dollar Industry (Recode)… PayPal Makes Its First Acquisition After Splitting From eBay (Fortune)… Google Express Plans to Shut Down Its Two Delivery Hubs (Recode)…
A New Political Campaign Methodology Connects Supporters With Localized Social Media
It’s self-evident that campaigns should be promoted at local levels, where word-of-mouth buzz can truly happen within neighborhoods. As the 2016 national election approaches, campaigns have the opportunity to harness local social more directly than ever before.
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