I've spent some time over the past month talking with Cambridge MA based ByteLight in advance of its launch and $1.25 million funding announcement this week. The company has a novel advancement in the indoor positioning space we've been covering. As…
A few years ago, it became apparent that IAC's ServiceMagic had stalled. While the 1,200 person company has continued to show growth, and had expanded to several international markets, it was clearly vulnerable to new challengers, ranging from Angie's List…
Last week, I had a long-overdue conversation with Placed CEO David Shim, in advance of the company's Placed Panels launch yesterday (more on that in a bit). This is part of our ongoing dialogues with companies in the emerging location…
Ambassador Media Group LLC (Ambassador Publications) company produced yellow pages directories for the Brooklyn, Bronx, Manhattan, Nassau, Queens, Staten Island and southern Westchester County markets up until April. Picking up on the market opportunity is a new kind of yellow…
In all the excitement over the iPhone5 and iOS6, we've covered a few of its main points here including the mobile local angle, Maps Snafu, and its implications for app developers. On all counts, we're releasing a report this week…
The Yellow Pages industry won a big victory yesterday when the U.S. 9th Circuit Court of Appeals struck down Seattle's tough opt-out ordinance in a unanimous decision. The court based its decision on the finding that print directories offer more…
The Asian Directory Publishers Association's annual conference next month in Thailand has assembled an impressive list of international industry leaders to take a hard look at the challenges of transformation directory organizations. ADPAI represents search and directory companies throughout Asia…
Retailers own the local experience with customers. But the brands they sell have a stake in local targeting, too, typically supporting it via coop advertising. Other methods to get in front of local customers are less dependent on their retailers.…
When was the last time you got a manicure special in your in-box? If you are a man, it didn't do much for you. In fact, many deals, offers and other promotions aren't especially relevant to their recipients. Even when…
Our BIA/Kelsey events are intense things to develop and produce. We love to do them. The next one is ILM West, which is Dec. 4-6 in Los Angeles. The programming for these don't come out of thin air, of course.…
It has been a great year of networking and learning at BIA/Kelsey events – which focus on “what’s important and why” in local. Our biggest show of the year is ILM West, which has attracted 600-700 senior level execs in…
Telmetrics and xAd are out with the third installment of their Mobile Mobile Path to Purchase report administered by Nielsen. As the first two reports focused on travel and overall results, this one looks at consumer mobile habits around finding…
I am here in Boston having just finished giving a lunchtime talk on mobile commerce to the Outdoor Industry Association, gathered here for its annual Rendezvous conference, which has drawn more than 350 outdoor retailers and manufacturers. They are offering…
Tobias Dengel is CEO of WillowTree Apps Inc., a mobile applications developer. He is also a BIA/Kelsey blog contributor, and will be posting regularly on mobile-related topics. The views he expresses are his own and do not necessarily reflect those of…
That headline will get some pushback as AT&T has received less than desirable consumer feedback for wireless, telecom and U-Verse service. But the company is taking steps to improve that image -- at least if my recent experience is any indication. After…
One of the most promising concepts in local are “Write Once, Publish Everywhere” platforms for SMBs. With local businesses needing to communicate more and more deals, new features and special events to their customers, it makes sense to get them…
Before too many days pass in travel recovery mode, I wanted to get some of my thoughts down from BIA/Kelsey's sessions at the EASDP Congress in Toledo Spain on Friday. As background, we programmed and ran the second day of…
The consortium of 12 major newspaper companies that last year purchased Travidia, a digital circular vendor, has relaunched as Wanderful Media. The consortium, previously known as ShopCo., has committed $22 Million to the venture. It has also introduced a new…
There's been lots of talk about Apple's mapping swicheroo, and how its new app is so far is a big #fail. The emphasis there is on so far, as the company has responded by emphasizing the cloud based nature of…
As the New York Times noted this morning, Apple’s initial iOS6 foray into mobile maps has been greeted with a thumbs down by iPhone 5 reviewers, who prefer the polished Google Maps experience that was the prior default. But maps…