News and Analysis

Why Commercial Banks Are Turning to Proximity Technology

That location intelligence firms are able to use foot traffic patterns to predict the financial performance of businesses is nothing new. But a new report released shines a light on the ways commercial banks and investment companies are upping the ante by using location data to get the most out of the market.

How Thanksgiving Day Store Closures Impact Black Friday Sales

Shoppers say they don’t want retailers opening their doors on Thanksgiving Day, but research from Foursquare tells a different story. Analyzing proprietary foot traffic data at major retailers, Foursquare found that stores that open earlier on Thanksgiving Day drive more visits and steal share from their competitors.

Raise Report: Yotpo, Leanplum, Globality Secure New Funding

Every two weeks, we round up some of the biggest fundraises taking place in hyperlocal marketing, commerce, and tech. This week’s edition includes funding for ChartMogul, Choozle, Roomi, and Spirited Media.

Latest Posts

A Decade Old, iBrattleboro Keeps Journalism First, Profits Second

For co-founders Chris Grotke and Lise LePage, the bottom line is not what’s found in the last entry on a profit-and-loss statement.. “Journalism is a little more important than money,” Grotke says. “If you’re doing [hyperlocal] to make money, I suggest you not do it in a small town. Go to a big city.”

Street Fight Daily: Square Puts ‘Business in a Box,’ Google Opens Glass

A roundup of today’s big stories in hyperlocal content, commerce, and technology.Square’s ‘Business in a Box’ Offers a Digital Register for $300 (Wall Street Journal)… Google Will Offer Its Glasses to Select Few (New York Times)… Patch Reportedly Cuts Editors in Lead Up to Pivot (Business Insider)…

After Harrowing Ride, LivingSocial Raises $110 Million to Press On

In a memo to employees on Wednesday, CEO Tim O’Shaughnessy said the company raised a new round of funding from “existing investors.” O’Shaughnessy did not say whether Amazon, which wrote down its $175 million investment in the company in Q3, had invested in the latest round…

How Big Brands and SMBs Can Use Vine Videos to Reach Local Consumers

Vine has not only cracked the code on mobile video. It has created an entirely new medium. The question for brands and local businesses alike is how to leverage it as a marketing channel. Here are a few ideas about how to test the new app and what to look for as it matures…

Case Study: Cumberland Farms Partners With PayPal on Mobile App

In April 2012, Cumberland Farms teamed up with PayPal to launch a mobile payment application, which allows customers to pay for gas through their smartphones. In the 11 months since the app debuted, repeat usage statistics have been in the 88th percentile, a metric senior brand strategy manager Kate Ngo says shows how convenient a mobile payment platform can be…

Street Fight Daily: Location’s Dirty Secret, Yelp Explains Filter

A roundup of today’s big stories in hyperlocal content, commerce, and technology.The Dirty Little Secret About Location-Targeted Mobile Ads (Business Insider)… Yelp CEO Stoppelman Explains the Site’s Controversial ‘Review Filter’ (Screenwerk)… How to Make the Most of Mobile Local Search (Mashable)…

Hyperlocal Crowdfunding May Become a Reality — Here’s How to Prepare

Despite a recently missed deadline that would have given hyperlocal businesses an ability to raise capital through crowdfunding, backers of the Jumpstart Our Business Startups Act (JOBS Act) are optimistic that equity crowdfunding could become a reality by the end of the year. What can hyperlocal ventures do right now to get ready for equity crowdfunding?

8 Strategies for Generating Buzz Around a New Hyperlocal Platform

Entrepreneurs need more than just a great idea to launch a successful hyperlocal business — they need a way to promote it. Here are eight strategies for generating PR and promoting a new hyperlocal platform, delivered by executives who’ve been in that very same position…

Street Fight Daily: Location Gains in Mobile, TD Bank Gets Hyperlocal

A roundup of today’s big stories in hyperlocal content, commerce, and technology.Real-Time Location Data Gets a Bigger Slice of Mobile Targeting (eMarketer)… TD Bank Breaks Social Marketing Mold and Invests in Google+ Local Content (AdAge)… The Next Big Thing in Local: Kids (PandoDaily)…

Hyperlocal M&A Heats Up — Here’s What 4 Big Acquirers Are Looking For

Just six weeks into the year, we’ve already seen a spike in hyperlocal industry acquisitions (not to mention well-founded rumors). Here’s a quick look at four major players who may be in the hunt for locally focused acquisitions and what each might be looking for…