Street Fight Daily: Patch Numbers Up, TBD Loses Final Employee
A roundup of today’s big stories in hyperlocal content, commerce, and technology...
Patch Sets Records for Traffic and Revenue (FishbowlNY)…
TBD Loses Its Last Employee (Washington City Paper)…
PlaceIQ, Skyhook Using Location for Brand-Audience Targeting (ScreenWerk)…
Patch Launches ‘Partners’ Program With Biz Support for Advertisers
Small businesses that advertise on Patch can now access exclusive interviews with high-level executives and other relevant content. The beta newsletter featured an interview with AOL CEO Tim Armstrong, and the one debuting today includes thoughts from Vineyard Vines co-founder and CEO Ian Murray detailing how he grew his apparel company. Patch will also launch a Patch Partners website, available to all small businesses, in the near future…
Street Fight Daily: Google and Groupon, AOL and Starboard
A roundup of today’s big stories in hyperlocal content, commerce, and technology...
Why Groupon Really Turned Down Google’s $6 Billion Offer (SAI)…
I.S.S. Backs Patch-Critical Shareholders for AOL Board (New York Times/Dealbook)…
Why Square’s Handcrafted Approach to Payments Can Win (GigaOm)…
Street Fight Daily: Groupon, Patch, Signpost, Digital First
A roundup of today’s big stories in hyperlocal content, commerce, and technology...
Groupon Customers Might Not Get Any Cash From That $8.5 Million Settlement (Business Insider)…
Signpost Makes Deal With Newspaper Biggies (Portfolio)…
The Case Against AOL, In Numbers (Ad Age)…
Street Fight Daily: Target Taps Shopkick, Groupon Offers Settlement
A roundup of today’s big stories in hyperlocal content, commerce, and technology...
Target Rolls Out Shopkick Integration Nationwide (TechCrunch)…
Groupon Offers Settlement for Gift-Card Lawsuits (Chicago Sun-Times)…
Sonar Offers On-the-Go Messaging to Friend Groups Nearby (GigaOm)…
Street Fight Daily: SnipSnap, Geoloqi, Yell Becomes ‘Hibu’
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
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.
Street Fight Daily: Patch Partnership With WPIX, Addiply Network Live
A roundup of today’s big stories in hyperlocal content, commerce, and technology...
Patch, NY’s WPIX Form Content Partnership (NetNewsCheck)…
How Facebook’s Mobile ‘Sponsored Stories’ Are Designed To Kill Groupon (Business Insider)…
Addiply Networks 2,700 Hyperlocal UK Sites for National Ads (Out With a Bang)…
How Hyperlocals Can Burn In Their Brand
How important is branding to hyperlocals? I put the question to a handful of editors, publishers and other leaders of hyperlocals that are successful or are headed in that direction. What’s interesting, and reassuring, is that they were are in basic agreement: branding is important, it has to be earned, and audiences wield the iron that burns in the brand…
Will Retargeting Destroy Hyperlocal Chain Models?
Ad retargeting damages the economics of hyperlocal networks hoping to make any real ad revenues selling to larger buyers. These same buyers can – and increasingly do – use retargeting to get the same Internet users at a fraction of the cost. This is another example of how hyperlocal actually scales down better than it scales up…
Street Fight Daily: Offers to Google Maps, Patch Info in AOL Earnings
A roundup of today’s big stories in hyperlocal content, commerce, and technology...
Google Quietly Launches Groupon Now-Like Free Google Offers Across The U.S. (TechCrunch)…
AOL Earnings Reports Tell History of Patch Since 2009 (Poynter)…
Savored Makes Restaurant Reservations Based on Your Location (Mashable)…
Street Fight Daily: Hyperlocal Shopping at Sears, Pirq for Apple Staffers
A roundup of today’s big stories in hyperlocal content, commerce, and technology...
Sears Rolls Out Hyperlocal Shopping Site (Crain’s Chicago Business)…
Want To Know What Apple Will Do Next In Mobile Commerce? Check Out The Pirq It’s Giving To Employees (TechCrunch)…
The Real Reason Foursquare Finally Decided To Pursue Revenues Now (Business Insider)…
Prescription for Patch: Become an All-in-One SMB Marketing Solution
There is a real opportunity to offer businesses a service that bundles together as many online promotional vehicles as possible into a simple, low-cost package that makes it easy for them to communicate with their customers. If Patch decided to go this route, the company would be well-positioned to make the service work. Unlike other local start-ups, it has the resources to build this kind of integrated system…
Weekly News Recap: Patch’s Editor-In-Chief Steps Down
AOL’s much-discussed hyperlocal network Patch is in the midst of changes at the top of its masthead. Editor-in-Chief Brian Farnham, who had been with the company for four years, announced during a conference call this week that he would be leaving. Here’s a look at some of the coverage of Farnham’s departure.
EIC Brian Farnham Leaving Patch to Explore ‘Other Startup Opportunities’
Patch editor-in-chief Brian Farnham has announced he is leaving the AOL network of hyperlocal sites after four years on the job. A Patch spokesperson said the move was “100%” Farnham’s decision. Rachel Fishman Feddersen, who joined Patch as chief content officer in February, will now fully take over the editorial side of the operation…
NJ’s TAP Grows Indie Hyperlocal Network Through Licensing
Under the licensing program, participants pay a $2,500 fee in their first year, $5,000 in year two and $10,000 in year three, plus 10% of their ad revenue. Alternative Press publisher Mike Shapiro says a licensee, “after the three-year ramp up, should bring in $50,000 to $100,000 in income (after expenses have been taken out for licensing fees, freelance, ad commissions, marketing etc.).”