News and Analysis

Street Fight Daily: Lyft Eyes Opportunity in Uber Turmoil, Creativity on Social Can Backfire for Brands

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A roundup of today’s big stories in hyperlocal publishing, marketing, commerce, and technology… As Uber Stumbles, Lyft Sees an Opening and Bits Its Tongue… Some Brands Get Clever on Social Media (and Some Consumers Aren’t Feeling the Vibe)… Here’s How Brands Are Partnering with Waze to Reach Riders…

Behind Home Page Media’s Growth in Nashville: Change and One Big Constant

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In this Q & A, CEO Kelly Gilfillan, who co-founded Home Page Media in 2009, talks about what she changed and what she didn’t to maintain Home Page Media’s credibility as a news source for its communities, keep growing and stay profitable.

Street Fight Daily: Google Gets $2.7B Fine for Shopping Practices, Mobile Video Vexes Marketers

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A roundup of today’s big stories in hyperlocal publishing, marketing, commerce, and technology… Google Gets Record $2.7 Billion Fine from EU for Skewing Shopping Searches… Creative Remains a Challenge on Mobile Video… Search Advertising Ripple Effect Expected from Amazon’s Whole Foods Purchase…

Latest Posts

The New Local Delivery Systems

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The consumer decision now becomes: do I spend my precious hour driving and dickering at the store, or do I spend $20 for somebody else to do this for me? As crowdsourced delivery services gain acceptance, it’s not hard to imagine big brands like Apple Store, Home Depot or any restaurant chain leveraging delivery as a competitive advantage…

Wielding Hyperlocal Brand Influence

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It’s clear that for brands there is an ever-increasing array of tools available to help us find the true local advocate. We must remember, however, that influence is not only the ability to drive awareness and get recognition, but also a function of credibility, expertise and the ability to convince people to make decisions…

Street Fight Daily: SnipSnap, Geoloqi, Yell Becomes ‘Hibu’

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A roundup of today’s big stories in hyperlocal content, commerce, and technology...

Geoloqi’s Location Tracking Now Available to Appcelerator Devs (GigaOm)…

For AOL, a Costly Gamble On Local News Draws Trouble (Wall Street Journal)…

Sense Networks Makes Location-based Advertising Relevant (GigaOm)…

In Wake of Layoffs, a 4-Step Plan for Patch Success

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The Patch layoffs today are actually a very good thing. This is an indication that the management at Patch is getting a better handle on what hyperlocal must look like in order to succeed. While I am not bullish on hyperlocal networks and national chains, I am even less bullish on hyperlocal networks with significant management layers. Here’s my map for the highest chance of success for a national hyperlocal network — and my quick turnaround program for Patch.

6 Platforms Hyperlocal Publishers Can Use to Fill Unsold Ad Inventory

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Ad inventory sold by networks typically doesn’t command the high CPM (cost per thousand impressions) that individual publishers can charge when they work with local businesses directly. However, these ads do give publishers a chance broaden their advertiser base and earn revenue for space that would have otherwise gone unused…

Study: Brands Expect More ROI From Local Ads Than From National Campaigns

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A new study from Balihoo backs up the claims that brands anticipate more return on investment when they go local. “The closer you get to the customer, the more ready the customer is to buy and the more targeted you can get with your message,” Balihoo director of marketing, Susan Tormollen, says…

Street Fight Daily: $1M for GroSocial, VendAsta/Media Deal

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A roundup of today’s big stories in hyperlocal content, commerce, and technology...

GroSocial Nabs $1M to Become ‘Buddy Media For SMBs’ (TechCrunch)…

Local Newspapers’ Crisis: What Hyperlocal Means — And Why It Works (Guardian)…

How Groupon Used Cloud Computing to Speed Growth (Business Insider)…

$16 Billion Later, Facebook Eyes Local

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If we take Facebook Offers as indication of the company’s forthcoming plan of attack in the local space, self-serve, in one form or another, will be at the core of its strategy. The company will likely invest heavily in educating merchants about self-serve advertising, and, with Offers, help teach merchants about the fundamentals of commerce-based marketing…

Client Relationships Gained at Street Fight Summit

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In a post-event poll, attendees said they made at least one new prospective client or partner contact, with the majority making five to 10 and a handful came away with 10 or more. Sponsor Blank Slate, which set up a table at the event, developed several new client relationships — and made a video about their positive experience.

Hyperlocal News Coverage of Classroom Violence Requires Caution

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News videos of classroom brawls and bullying in local schools are newsworthy, but the hyperlocal coverage may draw threats from some who don’t want the information published. This year, legal claims emerged in New York and Philadelphia that provide some guidance on what hyperlocals may expect if they cover such sensitive types of local stories…