News and Analysis

Street Fight Daily: Advertisers Return to YouTube, Shopify Launches Square Rival

A roundup of today’s big stories in hyperlocal publishing, marketing, commerce, and technology… Months Removed from Brand Safety Boycott, YouTube Wins Over Advertisers Again… Shopify Launches New Card Reader to Compete with Square… Facebook Changes the News Feed to Reward Fast-Loading Sites…

SMB Index: July Was a Banner Month for Local Stocks

July 2017 was a strong month for the SCP SMB Index which gained 4.6% versus the other benchmark indices we track. The SCP SMB Index also outperformed all other indices on a total returns basis, now up 33.2% since Jan 4, 2016.

How Red Wing Shoes Finds Its Stride in Brand Marketing

Even with a history that spans more than 110 years, the company cannot take for granted that its product will remain front and center with buyers. Dave Schneider, Red Wing’s CMO, spoke with Street Fight recently about keeping the brand connected to its audience and the Wall of Honor, which lets customers share stories about their trusty, well-worn boots.

Latest Posts

Investment Newsletter Sees Data Loop Closing, M&A Levels up 186%

The June issue takes a look at content economics issues in hyperlocal on the heels of Tribune’s deal with Journatic; evaluates the rush to self-serve by giants like Google and Facebook; the point-of-sale heat; and unpacks the M&A and investment activity in the month of May. Read excerpts from the issue.

CityMaps Expands to Boston, Continues Move Toward Customization

Even before CityMaps expanded from a Web-only beta to mobile in mid-March, developers behind the social maps provider expressed a desire to excel not only in search, but also browsing. With the updated website and version 2.0 of its iOS application released earlier this morning, the company has continued toward that goal, adding featured maps, new Discovery Bar functions and mobile directional navigation…

Can Local Save Mobile Ads?

Oversupply of ad inventory on mobile could lead to the kind of runaway commoditization of display ads that developed on desktop over the past decade. The result: tanking CPMs. So how do we avoid that in mobile?

What Hyperlocal Publishers Need to Know About Accepting Political Ads

As the fall elections approach, hyperlocal publishers must ensure they comply with federal regulations that govern political advertisements. Most political advertisements must include some form of a disclaimer explaining who paid for the ad and whether it was approved by a candidate…

Street Fight Daily: Foursquare’s Revamp, Loyalty Programs

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

Foursquare Looks to Shift From Gaming Novelty to Essential Tool (Adweek)…

Hyperlocal Journalism Fosters a Greater Sense of Community Among Readers (Guardian)…

Media Companies Poised for Deals Growth (NetNewsCheck)…

Local Businesses Plot Expansion Via Crowdfunding

Even before the passage of the JOBS Act in early April, SMBs across the country were increasingly turning toward crowdfunding websites such as Indiegogo to facilitate expansion. Now, with the law on the books and pressure on the SEC to finalize regulations around it in the next seven months, some foresee crowdfunding, not venture capital, grants or loans, as the next innovative way to stimulate local business and job creation…

Tackable Team Introduces New Hyperlocal App to Crowdsource Events

With Eventster, the developers at Tackable are hedging their bets on the belief that events discovery, not a down economy or general apathy, is the main reason why approximately 40 percent of industry tickets go unsold. To more effectively target users, the application will, over time, recommend events based on past preferences, in addition to location.

Street Fight Daily: Netherlands Hyperlocal Success, Mobile Adwords

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

In the Netherlands, a Patch-like Hyperlocal Network Is Nearing Profit (Nieman Lab)…

Dennis Crowley On Reinventing Foursquare (TechCrunch)…

Google’s AdWords System Goes Mobile (Forbes)…

PODCAST: This Week in Location-Based Marketing — ScreenScape Networks

In this week’s episode, hosts Rob Woodbridge and Asif Khan look at new Wifi-blocking wallpaper, Verizon’s $612M bet on Hughes Telematics. Groupon gets into the food ordering business and we love our Guiness – even more with QR codes. Plus, our special guest Mark Hemphill of ScreenScape Networks and our resource of the week from the FCC…

LevelUp Adds $12 Million in New Funding

SCVNGR’s mobile payments platform is getting another big boost. The maker of LevelUp, an app that links credit and debit cards to mobile phones, has announced that it has raised an additional $12 million from Highland Capital, Google Ventures, Balderton Capital, Continental Investors, and Transmedia Capital. The latter two companies are new investors…