Recent adds to the speaker roster include Twitter’s Anamitra Banerji and AT&T Interactive’s Greg Issacs, who will be joining Facebook’s Tim Kendall and Citysearch’s Kara Nortman on our “Social/Local” panel.

We’ve also added Trinity Ventures’ Patricia Nakache, who joins Canaan Partners’ Warren Lee and Comcast Interactive’s Michael Yang on our “Money” panel.

Also, U.S. Local News Network’s Chris Jennewein joins USC Annenberg’s Geneva Overholser on “the Future of Local Media” session. And European Directories’ Simon Greenman joins Skype’s Andy Sims on “Skype’s Local Revolution” (especially interesting!)

My colleague Mike Boland also has added several top execs to the Mobile Superforum and our Pre-Conference on Local Search — a very useful “hands on” session for state-of-the-art local search tips and best practices.

Here’s the final lineup for the Mobile Superforum:
Sanjeev Agrawal, Aloqa
Surojit Chatterjee, Google
Steve Espinosa, Appetizr
Alistair Goodman, Placecast
Greg Hallinan, CMO, Verve Wireless
Meredith Papp, Google
Claudia Poepperl, adaffix
Jeff Porter, mobilePeople
Gleb Shaviner, Amdocs
Rahul Sonnad, Geodelic Systems

Here’s the final lineup for the Local Search Precon:
Panos Bethanis, DirectoryM
Jeff Ferguson, Local.com
Sivan Metzger, Kenshoo Local
David Mihm, David Mihm Inc.
Andrew Shotland, Local SEO Guide
Chris Spanos, AOL.com

Here‘s the registration info. IMPORTANT: Beat the Friday night price increase.

Happily, eMarketer backs up these figures with another study by Ad Media Partners. The research shows that marketing executives are planning to increase digital spending in social media marketing (77 percent), search marketing (76 percent), mobile marketing (75 percent), behavioral marketing (70 percent), lead generation (63 percent), video advertising (60 percent) and e-mail marketing (58 percent).

EMarketer sums all this up by pointing out that “the combination of accountability, conversion and the infusion of digital media into every facet of life makes the future look bright — for marketers making the move to digital.”

Anyone in the radio or television broadcasting industry who needs to understand how to best take advantage of digital media needs to be at the Winning Media Strategies conference to be held May 20-22 at the Marriott Wardman Park in Washington, D.C. The Kelsey Group and BIA Advisory Services have put together an event that will pay incredible dividends to those broadcasters willing to make the small investment of time and money.

What are the key trends?

According to Neal Polachek, chief executive officer of The Kelsey Group, the current economic situation is “likely to accelerate the transition of some local advertising dollars to the Internet, while at the same time making the role of the local media sales representative more important than ever.”

In fact, this trend is validated by many of the new technologies coming out in the mobile space (including voice search, GPS etc), as well as a renewed emphasis by companies (regardless if they are just local, regional or national chains) to reach out to local communities.

Among The Kelsey Group’s predictions for local media in 2009 are:

• SMB Video Ads. Kelsey Group analysts are beginning to see data that suggest the firm’s aggressive video ad forecasts might have been too low. At Interactive Local Media 2008, for example, Gordon Henry, Spotzer’s president of North and South America, suggested that within a few years half of SMBs that have Web sites will have a video advertisement. That’s approximately 3 million small-business ads in the next few years in the United States alone. What to watch for in 2009: Even faster adoption than The Kelsey Group’s forecast of a 163 percent compound annual growth rate (CAGR).

• The Online-Only Yellow Pages Publisher? For some time The Kelsey Group has been predicting that an existing print directory publisher would divest all or much of its print operations and transform itself into an online-only business with an established sales force and brand. This hasn’t happened yet, but Kelsey analysts believe the prospects of it occurring in the next 12 to 18 months are reasonably good. However, some willing sellers may have trouble finding willing buyers. What to watch for in 2009: Look for organizations that are structured to enable a clean separation of the print operation. Also look for organizations that are clearly disinvesting in print by shifting all or most marketing and product development funding and energy to the online product.

• Mobile YP Leaves the Laboratory. The Kelsey Group expects to see directory publishers treat mobile as something more than a science project, or a modest extension of Internet Yellow Pages distribution. As smartphones, iPhone and iPhone wannabes proliferate, mobile will become a key usage channel and publishers will begin to find ways to monetize it, though we don’t expect to see much meaningful revenue in 2009. Google has stepped into these waters with its recent launch of iPhone and G1 ad targeting. What to watch for in 2009: As publishers look increasingly to sell a bundle of leads across media platforms, they will want to include mobile as one source of leads. We’ll also see whether publishers follow Google’s lead and begin offering advertising units exclusive to mobile platforms.

• Local Marketplace Sites Jump on Social Bandwagon. The big social sites such as Facebook have been largely missing in action on the local front. But Facebook is opening up via Facebook Connect, which allows sites such as Citysearch to use its profiles and other features to their own ends. The site is also being used by local marketers such as Campusfood.com for games that increase loyalty and patronage. Its “Food Friendzy,” for instance, currently has 27,000 users. What to watch for in 2009: Expect to see a lot of use for this (and not just on Facebook). Many sites will implement other social features on their own, such as ratings and reviews, photos, videos and bulletin boards.

• Voice Search Usage Will Accelerate. Voice search is gaining traction at portals and Internet companies. Missing among the players (which include Google, Vlingo and Tellme) is a major Yellow Pages publisher. Kelsey Group analysts caution publishers not to ignore a critical window into their local data for too long or the opportunity will pass them by. What to watch for in 2009: Major Yellow Pages publishers to build or buy a voice search solution.

• Use of Traditional Media Becomes Differentiator. The role of traditional media has been beaten down by the arrival of new media channels and search. But it still has a broader scale and reaches more people than new media. Indeed, with dropouts of many key advertisers, better positions (and prices) help them stand out. Expect to see TV ads, radio and to a lesser extent, newspapers, act as differentiators for leading online services. Services such as HouseValues.com are already going this route. What to watch for in 2009: Look for cross-media bundles bringing together newspapers, TV, radio and online services.

A year-end review of events revealed the Kelsey analyst team achieved 75 percent accuracy on its 2008 predictions, with 18 of 24 predictions classified as “on target.”

For more information, check out The Kelsey Group at: www.kelseygroup.com

Having just returned from the NAB’s Radio Show in Austin, it was clear to me that I was meeting with executives from two separate industries: major market radio owners and small & medium market radio owners.

The published reports on radio’s demise are dominated by the negative advertising revenue trends that are clearly the result of declines in the major markets. But the rest of the industry is surviving and in some cases doing quite well.

The problem, as I see it, is one of relationships. Major market radio account execs have relationships with the ad agencies and rep firms. The rest of the industry has relationships with the actual advertiser. As such, their focus is helping the advertiser be successful, rather than have the numbers and ranking to justify a buy.

The days leading up to the Radio Show, I attended The Kelsey Group’s Directional Media Strategies conference which focused on the Yellow Pages industry. The main take away is that Yellow Page companies are pursuing some innovative sales approaches, offering a multi-platform solution which includes print, internet yellow pages, mobile, search engine marketing (SEM) and other vehicles to their clients. Video advertising, for even the smaller firms, is becoming affordable through companies using new technology and creative approaches.

The radio industry is very well positioned to make similar multi-platform offers to their advertisers. The opportunity to offer a consultative sell that includes radio spots, internet ads, SEM, mobile, video advertising, etc. is significant.

With broadband expansion, more inexpensive technology solutions, training to sell multi-platform offers, small & medium market radio operators can generate significant new-to-radio revenue over the next five years. Unless major market radio operators eliminate their dependence on intermediaries and return to their local roots, the tale of these two industry segments will continue to diverge.

The focus of the conference was local (or hyper-local) and verticals. There are many different businesses developing and/or implementing business models to go after specific local verticals, ie. legal, real estate, automotive, restaurants, classified businesses, etc. Most of these are using the Internet as their primary vehicle although some partner with newspaper, radio and other offline media.

In thinking about the keys to success for many of these businesses, I’ve identified the following approaches:

1) Think Beyond Your Company. It is critical to conduct a strategic assessment of your media ecosystem. Make assessments about your company’s strengths and weaknesses; the attributes, likes and dislikes of your target audience; the benefits and limitations of your direct and indirect competitors who also go after your target audience and who can be partners or threats.

2) Think Beyond Your Content. As you analyze your target audience you must determine what content is most compelling. Focus groups and other research can help you identify what drives users to your website or offline business. You must then go back to the first concept and determine what you can provide and who you might partner with to get the most compelling content.

3) Think Beyond Your Website. In today’s environment a compelling website is critical, but just as important is how you connect to your target audience. Tapping into social networks, connecting with bloggers who influence your audience through word of mouth and employing push/pull techniques like widgets and desktop applications all facilitate your ability to attract and stay connected to your target audience.

4) Don’t Underestimate Resource Requirements. Undercapitalizing ventures has been the kiss of death for many potentially viable businesses. As Rich Barton discussed at the conference, without $100 million for marketing, Expedia would never have gotten off the ground and become the leader in its space.

For the 450 attendees to the conference, a lot of key information was exchanged. We at BIA found the speakers and panelists very enjoyable and informative. The thoughts expressed were provocative, yet consistent with our consulting services. For anyone involved in targeting local or vertical audiences, The Kelsey Group conference is a must.

The Kelsey Group’s (www.kelseygroup.com) “Drilling Down on Local ’08: Marketplaces” conference running this week in Seattle has drawn about 450 attendees to listen to several dozen speakers from companies ranging from Fox Interactive Media to Call Genie explain the opportunities they see in the $120 billion local advertising space and how their companies are pursuing them. In particular, this conference focuses on interactive advertising, search and directories. The Kelsey Group sees a 30% increase in revenues from online classifieds and vertical ads in the U.S. rising to $14.7 billion.

Media trade press headlines continue their drumbeat about the redirection of ad spending from traditional to online and mobile media. But Kelsey’s speakers in “Drilling Down” really do dive into the anatomy of local ad spending and related services. Attendees are exposed to a very compelling view of evolution in local advertising as clever use of the Internet and related technologies is refined to develop compelling personalization, interactive and search/discovery services that drive the connections between local consumers and local advertisers.

It is important to understand the dynamics of the local ad market because while spending in this sector is increasing in spite of a possible recession, the nature of this spending is shifting and not just out of traditional media but also within the interactive media. Forrester (www.forrester.com) just released a study showing that nearly three-quarters of interactive marketers are holding spending on plan or will even increase spending even in a recession. Most advertisers (80%) plan to maintain or increase investments in e-mail and search engine marketing channels. Not all of this spending comes at the expense of traditional media. About 40% of marketers will reduced their spending on display ads, with only 10% plan an increase.

The Kelsey Group’s markets conference focuses high-value classifieds and verticals, such as entertainment, events, automotive, real estate, dining, home and garden, and health. Kelsey argues that these categories are underserved by traditional local media. Companies in these verticals are learning how to use the Internet and mobile marketing to effectively target their customers and bring them beyond classifieds and Yellow Pages.

Walking around the exhibit floor reveals a host of companies that offer both integrated platform solutions (i.e., a bundle of services that makes it easier to use related technologies and products from several companies) and those with specific solutions. If you’re a newcomer to this part of the business, be prepared to learn some new terms and concepts coming from the Search Engine Marketing, Directory and Ad Networking lines of business. This involves technology terms, new forms of metrics and new forms of accountability that continue to create powerful new local advertising solutions that appear to be robust enough to take on a recession.