Here are the highlights from the TKG blog last week, in case you missed any posts. Click below to read each post in full.

Social Networking and Local: How’s It Gonna Happen?

In local, there have also been some moves by social networks to lure SMBs to spread a message virally, in the form of a MySpace or Facebook profile. This includes connecting to, conversing with and sending messages to a network of “friends” (read: customers). Over the past year, both MySpace and Facebook have solidified those efforts — in Facebook’s case, through the launch of its Pages and Ads offerings. (read more…)

The Challenges Inherent in Invading Yellow Pages

The Wall Street Journal today wrote about the challenges that newspapers have in trying to sell to small local businesses. Beth Lawton at the Newspaper Association of America kindly asked us to add some context to the article (subscription required). Here is our piece. (read more…)

Brownbook Following Different Path to IYP Success

The U.K.-based online directory Brownbook, which recent announced international expansion, sees itself as something of an anti-Yellow Pages. The company operates on a shoestring, with fewer than a dozen employees, while taking a decidedly user-generated approach to building an online local business directory. The company isn’t following a shoestring approach out of necessity as much as out of a philosophical view that remaining lean and mean is critical to its success. (read more…)

Jules: AT&T Embracing Shifts in Directional Media

Frank Jules believes there is a clear shift from print to online taking place. And the best way for publishers to make a successful transition is to move from selling individual products to selling a bundle of products based on the number of calls or leads they can be expected to deliver. As president and CEO of AT&T Advertising & Publishing, Jules runs the world’s largest Yellow Pages company. (read more…)

Microsoft Live Search Redesigns Home Page

This just in: Microsoft’s flagship search engine unveiled a new home page interface that will include rotating background images with embedded “hot spots” that direct users into various vertical searches when moused over. This is essentially a visually driven discovery engine for various topics of interest. Live Search now more explicitly blends search and discovery — a classic interplay in online media. (read more…)

Progress Report From Yahoo Newspaper Consortium

The 32-company-strong Yahoo Newspaper Consortium, which covers 41 percent of Sunday newspaper circulation, has 700 to 900 reps selling Yahoo inventory, with a couple of the newspapers selling more than $1 million in annual inventory, reports Yahoo’s Lem Lloyd, who we know from previous stints with Oodle and Knight Ridder Digital. We talked to Lloyd for a new Advisory for Kelsey Marketplaces clients and are excerpting highlights here. (read more…)

Marchex Launches New, Improved Ad Platform

Marchex has announced the launch of Marchex Connect 2.0, an updated version of its private-labeled local ad platform that is used by local ad resellers such as AT&T and Yellowpages.com. The new version’s highlights include integration of call tracking (from the company’s VoiceStar subsidiary) and a new templatized landing page offering that can be customized and integrated with search marketing campaigns. (read more…)

Deanna Brown at Inman: ‘ITV Is Here’

New media pioneer Deanna Brown, who is running Scripps Networks Digital after stints at CondeNet, AOL and Yahoo, told Inman Real Estate Connect attendees last week that their responsibility is to make sure real estate brokers are “on mobile, the Web, on TV. … Go where the audiences are.” (read more…)

New CEO Presents Idearc’s 1H Results, Outlines Game Plan

New CEO Scott Klein presented Idearc Media’s first-half results and previewed his plans for reorganizing and reenergizing the company. The main theme of the presentation was a “Journey of Transformation,” which is truly what Idearc needs based on the results of Klein’s eight-week evaluation of the organization and its second-quarter results released today. (read more…)

The iPhone Era: A New TKG Report

On Friday, we released a report that looks at the 3G iPhone and new App Store. One overall theme is how the iPhone’s new features and lowered price tag will combine with easy availability of mobile apps to bring new mobile search standards and mainstream appeal to the market for the first time. (read more…)