News and Analysis

Street Fight Daily: Facebook Scandal’s Impact on Local, Retailers Hesitate on Amazon Ads

A roundup of today’s big stories in hyperlocal publishing, marketing, commerce, and technology… Facebook Apocalypse? What to Monitor… SMB Index: In a Bad Month for Public Equity Markets, Local Isn’t Spared… Some Retailers Averse to Advertising on Amazon…

Street Fight Daily: Sites Tap Audiences for Product Dev, Restaurants Court Young Customers

A roundup of today’s big stories in hyperlocal publishing, marketing, commerce, and technology… How Publishers Use Their Audiences to Develop Products… Casual Restaurant Chains Use Tech to Attract Elusive Younger Customers… Facebook Suspends Another Data Firm for Using Cambridge Analytica-Like Tactics…

Openings and New Hires at Spectrio, Apple, GroundTruth

Hires and new openings are also popping up at Google, Dropbox, and Factual.

Commentary

Is Online Sports Video Content an Ideal Draw for Local Ads?

Local has long been regarded as the sleeping giant of digital advertising; a sector seemingly waiting for someone else to develop the ideal solution to help advertisers capitalize on its massive potential. In recent years, the broader media conversations have moved toward mobile and social — yet video has been proven to have the most upside for both local consumers and brand marketers…

With an Inherently Local Ad Base, Publishers Can Take the Mobile Lead

Local businesses already recognize the need to follow the eyeballs from traditional media to mobile, but they are looking for partners to facilitate the move. Publishers are that partner. They already have the relationships with local advertisers. They already are a trusted guide, their publications a reliable channel, and they’ve already bought into the value of mobile…

Why Don Draper Would Hate Hyperlocal

Many brands are still stuck in the days of Don Draper, failing to see that the potential for a lasting bond is even greater with hyperlocal (and delivers better ROI). Campaigns on services like LevelUp, LivingSocial or Tackable have more resonance precisely because they are tied to where you are. They tap into your good feelings around, say, your favorite pizza place, a connection that doesn’t require the same kind of shaping by big media or advertising mavens.

Latest Posts

LBMA Podcast: Highlight 2.0, and HomeSnap VP Lou Mintzer

On the show: KLM launches LocalEyes; Capital One partners with Push Point Mobile; Apple files patent for restaurant ordering and reservations. Plus, the resource of the week looks at Twitter’s impact on Radio…

Street Fight Daily: Patch’s Biggest Blunder, NYC Embraces Mobile Payment

A roundup of today’s big stories in hyperlocal publishing, marketing, commerce, and technology.Patch’s Biggest Blunder: Ignoring Cities (Forbes)… City Releases Bid for Pay-by-Phone Parking Meters (Politiker)… The Worst Mistake for Small Businesses to Continue in 2014 (Reuters)

Street Fight Staff and Friends Predict 2014’s Top Stories

As 2013 winds down, it’s clear that the landscape in hyperlocal business has shifted significantly. Looking ahead, we’ve asked Street Fight staffers and a few friends who regularly contribute to the site to submit their prognostications for what’s to come in the next 12 months…

What We Learned About Local Merchants in 2013

In Street Fight’s “2013 Report on the State of the Local Merchant,” merchants discussed what they’re looking for from hyperlocal vendors, and outlined the factors they look at when deciding where to spend their local marketing dollars…

Street Fight Daily: Uber CEO Taunts Critics, RetailMeNot’s Simple Success

A roundup of today’s big stories in hyperlocal publishing, marketing, commerce, and technology.Uber CEO Taunts Price Critics, Points to Airline “Surge Pricing” (GigaOm)… RetailMeNot Wins the Holidays by Not Overthinking It (PandoDaily)… Mobile: Preparing for the Third and Final Wave (Wired)…

Lessons Learned From the ‘Daily Deal’

According to a study conducted by Street Fight, the two most important factors for merchants evaluating hyperlocal marketing campaigns are the ability to attract new customers and ensure the right people are being targeted. Since daily deals are falling short in accomplishing this, what hyperlocal marketing avenues should local merchants explore?

Case Study: Tennessee Cafe Fends Off Daily Pitches From Hyperlocal Marketers

“You can buy ads and you can post things on Facebook all day long, but unless somebody actually understands your passion and understands what you’re trying to do for the community, they’re not going to tell their friends,” says Reveille Joe Coffee’s Matthew O’Dell.

Street Fight Daily: Apple Buys Hyperlocal Startups, Booze Brands Align With Taxi Apps

A roundup of today’s big stories in hyperlocal publishing, marketing, commerce, and technology.Apple Acquired Mapping Firm BroadMap, Location-infused Evernote Competitor Catch (9to5 Mac)… Free Rides: Booze Brands Align With Transportation Apps (AdAge)… Foursquare’s New Money Means Facebook Isn’t Everything (Wired)…

When Will Big Retail Rethink Point-of-Sale? Sooner Than You Think

Revel Systems wants to bring the tablet-based point-of-sale model upstream and disrupt the entrenched cadre of existing business software providers, which generated billions in revenue last year. Revel’s founder Lisa Falzone, a Stanford grad and one-time hedge funder, spun the company out of an online ordering app in 2010. Since then, Falzone and her team have raised over $14 million in venture funding, and have activated over 5,000 accounts…

5 Tools Local Retailers Can Use to Build Digital Storefronts

The majority of local retailers — including those with basic websites that are optimized for mobile — still aren’t offering customers tools to browse listings and complete purchases with their smartphones. Here are five platforms that local businesses can use to quickly (and cheaply) set up digital storefronts where customers can purchase goods and services via mobile…