News and Analysis

Google’s Product Bid for DIY Wallet Share

“Google has been on a tear this past month in the DIY realm,” notes Mike Blumenthal in his bi-monthly conversation with David Mihm. “Three major product rollouts in a 30-day span; Websites, Posts and now SMS messaging. And Google only needs uptake on one of them to get a chance to sell Adwords Express.”

Street Fight Daily: Snap’s Location Partnerships Yield Fruit, Paid Search Outperforms Social

A roundup of today’s big stories in hyperlocal publishing, marketing, commerce, and technology… Snapchat’s Foursquare and Factual Partnerships Double Geofilter Usage… Paid Search Advertising Still Outranks Social in Performance… Amazon Might Launch Its Own Messaging App That Would Allow Users to Order Food…

Job Changes at DexYP, Pinterest, Cuebiq, and Vendasta

Every two weeks, Geoff Michener covers some of the latest openings and new hires in this dynamic industry. This week’s edition includes moves and new openings at Mono Solutions, Groupon and HomeStars .

Latest Posts

Update: Street Fight Summit West Speakers, Sponsors & Attendees

As the weeks count down to Street Fight Summit West, the best networking event in hyperlocal to hit the Bay Area, we’re excited to bring you some updates on who’s speaking, who’s sponsoring, who’s attending, and what everyone will be talking about.

Signpost Snags $3.75M in Funding, Poaches Patch Sales Exec

The New York-based service, which pivoted from the consumer deals space in late 2010, aims to replicate the Google AdSense model for local commerce by providing creative, distribution and CRM tools for SMBs looking to manage ongoing local commerce campaigns…

6 Tools SMBs Can Use to Update Digital Directory Listings

Almost half of all business listings on hyperlocal services and online directories include information that is outdated, incorrect, or incomplete — a major problem given that 92% of people use online directories to research products or services in their areas. Here are six platforms that merchants can use to improve the accuracy of their directory listings and increase their businesses’ exposure online…

How to Improve the Value and Effectiveness of Online Offers

Poor trackability hurts everyone. The solution is an easy way to determine a new or returning user’s life cycle profitability and their average transaction volume, helping merchants make much smarter decisions about adjusting and targeting offers—and tracking ROI. Our whitepaper outlines the growing significance of offer effectiveness by detailing how to accomplish it and why it works.

Street Fight Daily: AmEx CFO to Groupon Board, DNA Info Expands

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

Starbucks CEO Leaves Groupon Board to Make Room for AmEx CFO (PaidContent)…

NYC Hyperlocal News Startup DNA Info Hires Staff, Expands to Outer Boroughs (Washington Post)…

Yelp Gives $1.2M to Settle Unpaid Overtime Suit (GigaOm)…

EveryBlock Updates App to Facilitate Mobile Sharing of Local News

Brian Addison, the company’s president, said the revamped app allows for “the sharing of news with neighbors as it unfolds.” He says that apps like Everyblock’s “help publishers stay top of mind with their audience. We’ve reached a point where having your logo occupy a prominent place on a user’s second screen is the linchpin for loyalty.”

How Electronic Contract Laws Can Affect Hyperlocal Publishers and App Makers

Contracts made online can help hyperlocal publishers and LBS app developers get deals finished quickly — but the convenience can be a curse as much as a blessing. And now, according a new ruling by the Tennessee Supreme Court, electronic agreements can be enforceable even if they made by an exchange of email. Unlike pen and paper, clicking “I accept” or sending an email may be enough to form a signed contract.

Wander CEO: How to Raise $1.2 Million for a Stealth LBS Startup

Dinevore founder Jeremy Fisher recently scored $1.2 million in funding for Wander, a new, travel-centric web startup in stealth mode. Fisher has described Wander as a “a way to the see the world through other people’s eyes” in a way that is “‘adjacent to both the curation and location space, a combination of Tumblr and Pinterest, Yelp, Tripadvisor and Foursquare.”

Street Fight Daily: LivingSocial Top-line Up, Journatic CEO Defends

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

LivingSocial Top-line Accelerates, Up 15% in Q1 (Yipit Blog)…

Should Apple Buy Both Square and Foursquare? (GigaOm)…

A Hyperlocal News Manifesto (BoingBoing)…

Report Identifies Elements of Hyperlocal Success in the U.K.

It is to hyperlocal media’s advantage that it remains a nascent sector which is developing quickly. Unwedded to the business models of the past, hyperlocal has the scope to experiment with different models for content, revenue and community engagement. In doing this, and hyperlocal players have as much to learn from the community development sector as they do from other media outlets…