News and Analysis

How AI Bots, Voice Assistants Are Changing Shopper Behaviors

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Rapid changes in the way people communicate aren’t just impacting personal relationships, they’re also hitting the retail market as consumer preferences evolve. In a new report released just this morning, the post-purchase solutions provider Narvar uncovers generational differences in how consumers prefer interacting with retailers.

Street Fight Daily: Google Appeases Antitrust Regulators on Shopping, Brands Turn to Influencers

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A roundup of today’s big stories in hyperlocal publishing, marketing, commerce, and technology… Google Offers to Treat Shopping Rivals Equally Via Auction… Why More Brands Are Adding Young Influencers to Their Creative and Marketing Teams… The Luxe Lab at Neiman Marcus Signals a Shift in Focus for Department Stores…

Street Fight Daily: Inside Uber/Lyft Funding War, Small Brands Hit Roadblock on Instagram

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A roundup of today’s big stories in hyperlocal publishing, marketing, commerce, and technology… Funding Talks at Uber and Lyft Complicate Ride-Hailing Allegiance… Small Brands Are Finding It Harder to Get Verified on Instagram… Never Mind GDPR, Here Comes Apple’s Intelligent Tracking…

Latest Posts

Why the Future of SMB-Focused Applications Is Mobile

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Although most SMB-focused applications are now web-based, the rising adoption of the smartphone as the de facto dashboard for small business owners will drive a wave of mobile applications customized for them…

What Would a Groupon Acquisition Mean for Google?

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Groupon’s stock price soared Friday on speculation that Google, its onetime suitor, might make an offer for the troubled local commerce firm. It’s unfounded speculation, but an interesting thought experiment nonetheless: How could Google leverage Groupon’s assets to solidify its local commerce offerings?

7 Ways SMBs Can Use Geofencing for Targeted Advertising

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Although large brands have long been reaching consumers in targeted areas through geofencing, smaller businesses have been slow to adopt this new marketing technology. Here are seven tips from the experts on how small businesses can better use geofencing to target consumers in intelligent ways…

Street Fight Daily: Square Gets a Pass, Yelp Reviewer Sued

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A roundup of today’s big stories in hyperlocal content, commerce, and technology.Square Slides Into Apple’s Passbook With Digital Gift Cards (AllThingsD)… Yelp Reviewer Gets SLAPPed With 750K Lawsuit And Order To Alter Comments (TechCrunch)… Location-Based Search Revenue Will Reach $6B by 2017 (Mobile Marketer)…

Local TV Stations: The Sleeping Beasts in Hyperlocal News

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Resting on the laurels of legacy profits only gets you so far. Just ask newspaper publishers. When you really take a good look at the local television business, it’s clear this is an industry waiting to be disrupted — and when that happens, outlets that haven’t invested sufficiently in digital won’t have much to hold onto…

PODCAST: This Week in Location-Based Marketing — Lemon Mobile

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In this week’s episode, hosts Rob Woodbridge and Asif Khan look at apps that track your spouse; analytics companies that profile shoppers; and the state of the group buying business. Plus, special guest Terry Blake of Lemon Mobile…

Street Fight Daily: Tribune Resumes Journatic, Facebook Talks SMBs

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A roundup of today’s big stories in hyperlocal content, commerce, and technology.Tribune Resumes Limited Usage of Journatic (Chicago Tribune)… Facebook’s Dan Levy Touts Small Business Growth: Advertisers Have Nearly Doubled Since January, Promoted 2.5M Posts (TechCrunch)… BIA/Kelsey: Deals Still Aim for $5.5B by 2016 (NetNewsCheck)…

Patch Adds COO as Leadership Change Continues

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AOL’s Patch network of hyperlocal news sites has made yet another significant change at the top, naming former Westwood One operations head Steve Kalin to the newly created position of president and COO. Kalin will take responsibility for the company’s daily operations — with the advertising, finance, marketing and content functions all reporting to him…

How E-hail Apps Like Uber Could Impact the Hyperlocal Ecosystem

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It’s entirely conceivable that fast-growing ranks of Uber users would not be averse to other commerce offerings that could be paid for through the phone app. In fact, these users are probably even more used to the idea of paying over the phone than people who use Google Wallet or Apple’s Passbook, neither of which has achieved wide adoption or even viral growth…

Case Study: Restaurant Focuses on Online Menus, Reservations

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Jen Ziskin, co-owner of the restaurant La Morra, in Brookline, Mass., says she relies on a combination of email marketing, OpenTable, and menu management platform Locu to spur interest long before customers walk through her doors…