Commentary
How Reviews and Ratings are Driving Local Search
Despite the tremendous amount of press we have seen on fake reviews, ongoing interest in reviews by consumers and local search providers make it clear that these services aren’t going away. As platforms give reviews more importance and improve their ability to filter out fake ones — and government officials crack down on dishonest practices — consumer trust and use of reviews can only be expected to grow. This trend will continue to increase the impact they have on local businesses…
Finding the Balance Between Relevance and Reach in SMB Content
It’s simple enough to say that creating great content or a great platform should be enough to bring users to your door; but if they have no idea you exist, getting the word out effectively is both a matter of reaching your intended user base and staying within the confines of an algorithmically defined concept of quality content. For small and medium-sized businesses, the challenge is to be present and available to customers and potential customers in multiple online venues in a way that conserves effort while remaining effective…
Is Variable Product Pricing the Next Horizon in Local Advertising?
Proximity-related factors enable predictive modeling around transaction probability. That can then be plugged into an equation to determine price sensitivity or elasticity on an individual level. What discount will get your attention? From there, it’s a matter of variable pricing to customers that are new, repeat, faraway, nearby on foot versus driving by at 60 mph, and so on. And that’s the key: though we have time-based variable pricing (a la airlines), proximity-based personalized pricing is the next phase.
Latest Posts
Six Months After Spin-Off, Gimbal Continues to Grow
It’s been a busy few months for Gimbal, the beacon company formerly owned by Qualcomm. After being spun off from the tech giant in May, the company went on a hiring spree, bringing its team to more than 30 employees. Then earlier this month, the company entered into its first big partnership with push notification company Urban Airship…
Street Fight Daily: Foursquare’s First Brand Campaign, Apple Pay Arrives
A roundup of today’s big stories in hyperlocal publishing, marketing, commerce, and technology… Foursquare’s First Brand Campaign Takes a Foodie Approach (AdWeek)… Google Releases Penguin 3.0 — First Penguin Update In Over A Year (Search Engine Land)… Square Encircled as Apple, PayPal Aim for Mobile Payments (Businessweek)…
How One Gannett Paper Is Reacting After ‘Slow Slide’ From Cost Cutting
In August of this year, the entire editorial staff at the Asheville Citizen-Times was required to apply for re-employment in a reorganization with new job descriptions. Executive Editor Josh Awtry told readers: “It would have been easier to change nothing in the way we operate … but we weren’t ready to accept that fate.” Here, Awtry details for Street Fight his team’s major changes…
Street Fight Daily: ApplePay on the iPad, Groupon’s Chairman Opens Up
A roundup of today’s big stories in hyperlocal publishing, marketing, commerce, and technology…… Apple Pay Is Coming To The iPad (Business Insider)… Groupon Chairman Ted Leonsis: ‘I Kind Of Fell In Love With Company’s Challenges’ (Chicago Tribune)… Google Profit Will Depend on Wringing More From Mobile Ads (New York Times)…
Raising Social Capital Is a Key to Small Business Marketing
One of the most tangible ways for small businesses, chambers, and trade organizations to build social capital is to raise funds for their community. Crowdfunding opens up a collaboration between the business community (the sponsors) and the nonprofits, by reframing the decision to contribute from management to the crowd…
Why TV Remains the Heartbeat of Local Connection