News and Analysis

The Future of Advertising in an Autonomous Vehicle Landscape

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When autonomous vehicles begin to replace traditional cars, the local business advertising market will shift alongside. But SMB advertising might not actually look dramatically different than it does today; instead, today’s location-based, personalized marketing will reach new customizable extremes.

As Boomers Warm to Mobile, Brands Look to Capitalize

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Millennials have been shopping on their smartphones for years, but a shift toward mobile-direct shopping among consumers in the boomer generation is creating excitement for retailers and brand marketers this holiday season.

Innovation Pays Off for Nation’s Biggest Retailer

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Walmart posted strong sales in Q3, suggesting that its determination to compete with Amazon by investing in cutting-edge, tech-driven approaches to retail is paying dividends. Read on for some of the top trends Walmart is capitalizing on.

Commentary

Editor’s Take: The Apps vs. Browser Debate Is a Distraction

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The venerable apps vs. mobile web debate continues to rage on but it is largely a distraction for local merchants. Business owners do need to understand the changing media landscape to make the most effective possible use of their limited marketing budgets, but their time and their dollars are better spent on marketing fundamentals rather than investing in the increasingly difficult and crowded race to acquire, retain, and monetize app users.

Same-Day Delivery: The Linchpin in the Battle for the Last Mile of Commerce

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Consumers are more impatient and time-starved than ever. At least that’s the impression one could derive from the seemingly unending string of same-day delivery announcements from major retailers, restaurants, convenience-store chains, startup enablers, and technology companies. The driving force behind their renewed focus on ever-shorter delivery windows: conquering the elusive last mile of commerce.

Better Use of Data Could Dramatically Alter Local Digital Sales

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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.

Latest Posts

McClatchy Says It’s a ‘Digital’ Company, but More Work Still Remains

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There is no doubt that McClatchy is putting an enormous amount of energy and talent into digital — but will it be enough when print is shrinking so rapidly? Street fight spoke to the company’s VP of products, marketing and promotion, Christian Hendricks, about where McClatchy is in its digital evolution

Why All Brands Need to Prepare for the Localization of Marketing

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In order to fully appreciate the significance of localized marketing, we first need to understand the dominant forms of marketing that preceded it. There have been three major technological disruptions over the past century that fundamentally changed the marketing landscape.

On the Road: The Future of On-Demand Delivery Is in Motion

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Figuring out how to consistently and quickly deliver services to a driver when the destination is unsure means a provider needs to develop a mesh network of always-in-motion providers of services and also serve customers in a place they are unaccustomed to doing business.

Street Fight Daily: BBC’s Hyperlocal News Push, HotelTonight App Introduces Local Concierge

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A roundup of today’s big stories in hyperlocal publishing, marketing, commerce, and technology… BBC Seeks to Forge Working Links With Hyperlocal News Sites (The Guardian)… Mobile App Company HotelTonight Launching Personal Concierge Feature (Wall Street Journal)… Google Upgrades Mobile Browser Display to Allow Reviews (Blumenthals.com)…

ShopKeep Working to Reduce SMBs’ Vulnerability to Credit Card Hacks

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What can be done to protect both small businesses and their customers’ credit card information from hackers? We caught up with Norm Merritt, president and CEO of ShopKeep to talk about how software and cloud-based solutions protect local businesses.

6 Vendors Bringing Hyperlocal Tech to Medical Offices

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A changing healthcare landscape is leading many physicians to rethink the way they market their practices, and this is creating new opportunities for hyperlocal vendors. Here are six examples of platforms that use hyperlocal technology to help local medical professionals acquire new patients.

Sponsored Post: Building an Integrated Local Digital Strategy

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Merchants like Brendan Madigan, owner of Alpenglow Sports in Tahoe City, Calif., say local listing management is an important component in their larger digital marketing strategies: “So many people want to contact your business … and if you’re late to the party, you’re just shooting yourself in the foot.”

Street Fight Daily: YP Transitions to Mobile and Display Ads, Alibaba’s Advantage

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A roundup of today’s big stories in hyperlocal publishing, marketing, commerce, and technology… Is YP’s Search Data Strong Enough to Win More Local Digital Ad Dollars? (Adweek)… Why Amazon Should Fear Alibaba (Forbes)… Uber Is Now Testing “Suggested Pickup Points” (TechCrunch)…

Why Selling to Partners and Resellers Is Never a Straight Path

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Media companies are constantly bombarded by digital product and ad tech platform companies vying for consideration. Getting the attention of reseller and partner decision makers requires a clear understanding of their business challenges.

Beacons Reaching Millennial Moms — But Are They Motivating Them to Buy?

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A new report from beacon proximity platform inMarket indicates that millennial moms in the U.S are getting the beacon message — literally — with more than 38 percent (or 3.4 million out of 9 million) actively using beacon-enabled apps every month.