Street Fight Daily: Yodle Plans IPO, Uber Tests Courier Service
A roundup of today’s big stories in hyperlocal publishing, marketing, commerce, and technology… Online Advertising Company Yodle Planning IPO This Year (Wall Street Journal)… Uber Expands Into Courier Service With Manhattan-Only Pilot (Bloomberg Businessweek)… Facebook Wants to Turn 25 Million Small Businesses Into Advertisers (AdAge)…
3 Key Trends That Are Transforming Local Online Marketing
Small businesses face increasing marketing complexity driven by more fragmented media outlets and more online channels, and a vast array of marketing technology that is supposed to “help” them simplify this dynamic. SMBs are being forced to rethink where they advertise and how to stay in touch with existing loyal customers….
Survey: 52% of SMBs Still Don’t Have a Website
Yodle has released the findings from its first Small Business Sentiment Survey, which recently asked 306 small business owners nationwide for their perspectives on a variety of topics, and found some interesting results when it comes to SMBs and technology. According to the survey, “many small business owners are still not adopting modern technology and marketing approaches.”
Which Hyperlocal Startup Will Be Next to IPO?
“[The markets] are probably as, or in many cases, more open to [hyperlocal companies] today, largely because they’re seeing some early success in other models,” said First Analysis’ Todd Van Fleet. “They know it can be done; it’s just a question of having the right model. Whereas Groupon may have created a disconcerting tone across the space, you have had the success of Angie’s List, Yelp and even mobile payments players like Square prove that a portion of the [local business marketplace] can be won.”
Street Fight Daily: NYT Tests Native Ads, Online Retailers Dabble Offline
A roundup of today’s big stories in hyperlocal content, commerce, and technology.… The New York Times Experiments with Native Advertising… On Two Wheels (Nieman Journalism Lab)… From Clicks to Bricks: Online Retailers Dabble in Physical Stores (AdAge)… Apple: ‘We Did Not Make a Bid For Waze’ (Mashable)…
Efficiently Selling to SMBs: Finding Paths of Less Resistance
We’re entering a more fertile environment for what I’ll call the SMB advertising “Trojan Horse.” Local companies start by targeting SMBs’ CRM systems, payroll, back office management, reputation management and payment processing. From there, local advertising can be unveiled as a “one-stop-shop” upsell…
Conference Notebook: Rethinking the Local ‘User Experience’
After four years of slowed growth, local advertising spend has finally rebounded to pre-2008 levels with digital revenues up 31% in 2012. Speaking at the Local Online Advertising Conference in New York Monday, Gordon Borrell, CEO of Borrell Associates, said that local online marketing spend will reach $24.5 billion by 2016, driven largely by growth in non-advertising marketing services…
Yodle CEO: Nearly 40% of the Leads We Generate Come From Mobile
In the fast-churning world of small-business-focused digital start-ups, Yodle’s nearly eight years in the business already make it a bit of a veteran player. Street Fight recently caught up with the company’s CEO, Court Cunningham, to talk about the future of mobile advertising and why small business websites are still so important as marketing channels…
Street FIght Daily: Shopkick Hits Profitability, Groupon Expands Reporting
A roundup of today’s big stories in hyperlocal content, commerce, and technology.… Shopkick Says It’s Now Profitable, With Its Shopping App Adding $200M In Sales For Target, Best Buy And Others In 2012 (TechCrunch)… Groupon Unveils Merchant Impact Report, a Free Service So Merchants Can Justify Their Deal Performance (The Next Web)… AOL’s Patch to Go From Lousy Local News Network to Even Worse Community Message Board network (PandoDaily)…
A Quick Guide to SMB Success on Mobile
Less than 5 percent of local businesses have a website optimized for mobile devices. In some cases, a company’s site isn’t even “findable” through searches on mobile devices. Worse, consumers, when they do find the local business’s website, can only see a desktop-specific version. Here are a few tips to help demystify mobile for business owners and help them get started right away…
Openings & New Hires at Patch, Yelp, Supermedia, HopStop, Square & More
Executives moving on up and over lately in sales, product, marketing, business development and more. Plus, who’s hiring? Yext, Yelp, Yodle, Restaurant.com, LivingSocial, DealHeaven, Apple and HopStop. Hyperlocal is expanding fast, and these openings are just one indication. Listings include links on where to apply. Get started now!
Conference Notebook: Online Local Market Share to Hit 22% in 2013
After a decade of upheaval, local online advertising revenue is set to exceed local newspaper dollars in 2013. Speaking to a crowd at the Local Online Advertising Conference in New York Wednesday, Gordon Borrell, CEO of Borrell Associates, said that local online advertising’s market share is set to increase to 22% in 2013, exceeding local newspapers revenue by two points.
Marketing to the ‘Happy’ Majority of SMBs
The local search industry needs to offer more responsive solutions for the average small business owner. The industry can’t simply drive more leads — it has to drive more, better-qualified, and better-paying leads at profit margins that incentivize buy-in from a business consumer that demands all or nothing. Only by catering to the “disconnected and contented majority” can the industry push itself to the highest standard of usability and convenience…