On 2nd Birthday, Fast-Growing ‘Indie’ San Angelo Live Clicks Its Spurs

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Joe Hyde, founder and publisher of San Angelo Live, is seeing his independent community news site in West Texas hit $60,000 in monthly ad revenue. And on its second anniversary, the site continues to attract more unique visitors than the site of its 131-year-old “legacy” competitor.

Lessons Learned While Building a Hyperlocal Startup

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I recently asked our sales team what they thought about serving the local market. I drilled down on what it’s like to build a hyperlocal company in today’s ever-connected world and how to best handle the inherent challenges of this unique customer base…

How SMBs Can Create Comprehensive Local Marketing Strategies

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When it comes to creating marketing strategies that include two or more hyperlocal solutions, many local merchants don’t even know where to begin. Here are five strategies that SMBs should consider…

6 Waitlist Management Tools for Restaurants

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Eager to eliminate the organizational challenges and financial liabilities that go along with traditional reservation systems, restaurants are increasingly turning toward digital platforms that allow diners to stay at home, or shop at nearby businesses, until their tables are ready. Here are six platforms that restaurants can use to manage their waitlists…

6 Strategies for Onboarding Merchants to a New Marketplace

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Being unable to attract qualified sellers is one of the biggest obstacles a local marketplace will face. And, as Harvard Business School associate professor Andrei Hagiu described to Street Fight in an interview last summer, it’s an obstacle that many marketplace founders are unprepared to overcome. “If you don’t have buyers, then you’re not going to have sellers, and visa versa. That prevents a lot of marketplaces from getting off the ground,” Hagiu said…

6 Tools for Gathering Insight from Digital Customer Interactions

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A lack of time and knowledge are two factors that explain why business owners don’t take a more active role in monitoring how they’re perceived online. However, a number of hyperlocal platforms are now aiming to streamline that process by giving small businesses access to advanced marketing automation tools and analytics suites that were once reserved for national brands and agencies. Here are six platforms that businesses can use to gather insight from online customer interactions…

5 Ways Hyperlocal Technology Can Save Malls from Extinction

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Given their position in the marketplace, hyperlocal vendors are uniquely able to help physical stores fight back against the changing tide. By using features like geo-targeting, indoor tracking, and mobile messaging, brick-and-mortar retailers can band together and increase their chances of survival. Here are five ways that hyperlocal technology can potentially save shopping malls from extinction…

5 Ways to Track the Effectiveness of a Hyperlocal Campaign

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Sixty-four percent of businesses surveyed by Oracle in 2013 said that the ability to track marketing ROI has been the most important change in the marketing world, however the majority of local merchants still aren’t sure how to compare various hyperlocal channels and measure the effectiveness of different types of campaigns. Here are five strategies for doing just that…

Finding the Right Point of Contact At: A Retail Chain

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For hyperlocal vendors grappling with expansion, a national retail chain can represent the big whale. With the potential to have their platforms adopted at hundreds of locations throughout the country with just single sale, it’s no wonder hyperlocal startups are willing to devote so many resources to developing partnerships with big-name clients. Here are five strategies for finding the right person to pitch at a retail chain…

Finding the Right Point of Contact At: A Franchise Organization

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Crafting the perfect pitch is only part of the challenge. For hyperlocal vendors trying to generate traction in a crowded marketplace, being able to locate the best point of contact at each of the individual companies being pitched is an incredibly important part of the sales process. Here are four strategies for finding the right person to pitch at a franchise organization, from hyperlocal executives who’ve had success…

Case Study: Hotel Chain’s Hyperlocal ‘Microsites’ Increase Online Bookings

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Spurred by industry research showing that today’s travelers are more interested in creating memories than receiving discounts, Red Lion has launched a hyperlocal initiative that involves developing local “microsites” for each of the company’s hotel properties, along with localized menus, new transportation signage, and even employee nametags that offer localized tips for guests…

7 Ways to Use Weather Data for Hyperlocal Marketing

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Hyperlocal vendors are making it possible for business owners like Stromberg to overlay weather data on top of daily sales figures to make better decisions, but many local merchants are still unsure of how to utilize the insights they glean from this information. Here are seven strategies for local businesses to use weather information to better target their hyperlocal messaging…

6 Ways Merchants Can Encourage Customers to Complete Mobile Transactions

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Just 3% of SMBs in the U.S. have websites that can handle mobile transactions, according to a recent survey by hibu and Impact Research. One of the reasons why merchants have been reluctant to adopt the right tools for dealing with mobile transactions is because they don’t understand what’s in it for them. Here are ideas for local merchants who are interested in how they can encourage more customers to complete transactions via mobile…

5 Tools Merchants Can Use to Serve Targeted Promotional Offers on Twitter

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Small business owners know that Twitter can be a useful tool for marketing, but many are unsure of where to begin when it comes to serving up paid promotional offers on the popular social channel. With its own unique language and tools, Twitter is a foreign land to many SMBs. For marketers who take the risk, however, the rewards can be great. A number of hyperlocal vendors are stepping in with platforms that bridge the gap for SMBs looking for more strategic ways to target consumers on Twitter…

5 Hyperlocal Scheduling Platforms for the Healthcare Industry

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Hyperlocal vendors are changing the way consumers navigate the healthcare industry, offering tools for finding local providers who are covered by specific insurance plans. Not only do these platforms benefit patients by providing a streamlined way to secure appointments with qualified local physicians, but they also benefit healthcare professionals by filling empty appointment slots and decreasing the percentage of no-show patients…

5 Revenue Diversification Strategies for Hyperlocal Publications

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Revenue diversification is a hot topic within the hyperlocal community, as publishers seek out new ways to generate income without sacrificing the quality of the products they provide. Some publishers are gaining audience share by partnering with other local media, some are focusing on mobile ad strategies, and others are competing for grants as non-profit organizations. What they all have in common is an interest in finding new ways to expand beyond traditional banner ads…

How Early Stage Hyperlocals Can Determine Their Ideal Customers

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Defining the ideal customer should be one of the first steps a startup takes during its earliest days, since the needs of that ideal customer will play a major role in the features and tools included in a particular hyperlocal platform. Here are five ways that early-stage hyperlocal startups can go about defining their ideal customers.

8 Strategies for Selling to Local Merchants as an Early Stage Hyperlocal

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Selling to local merchants is a challenge in a post-Groupon world, where many small business owners have grown skeptical of the long-term value that digital marketing solutions can provide. Early stage hyperlocals without established track records have additional hurdles to overcome, as they struggle to prove themselves in a crowded marketplace. All these obstacles are forcing hyperlocal vendors to get creative with the way they target local merchants…

Hulafrog Pins Focus on Hyperlocal for Kids

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“Hulafrog’s focus is to connect parents to the events, businesses and promotions in their local communities that cater to families,” says Sherry Lombardi. “So everything from parades and puppet shows to kid friendly restaurants and karate studios. Somewhat like a Yelp for parents with a focus on activities…”