Two well-known players in SMB marketing services today announced a partnership to integrate their platforms to provide end-to-end customer acquisition/retention services for SMBs. The new partners are WordStream, a major SEM and search services provider (and Google Premier SMB Partner), and…
What are the implications behind BIA/Kelsey's new calls forecast data? What's behind YP's decision to carve out print? And why did eBay sell off its Craigslist stake? These are a few topics we tackled this week, aggregated into the Local…
Moving past "phase 1" of the call analytics discussions we've initiated (the why), it's now all about tactical and actionable discussions (the how). We tackled that in a webcast on Wednesday, co-hosted by DialogTech, by diving into fresh BIA/Kelsey call volume…
This is the latest in our new series, Vantage Points. On a semi-weekly basis, it will tap the perspectives of various lookout points from around the local media and tech sectors. Though the format, frequency and distribution will develop, please contact…
Competition in the home services leads space has been heating up -- and so are the tensions. Just this week, Angie's List has filed suit against Amazon, contending that Amazon Home Services has been egregiously signing up for the member's-only service…
One of the draws of the local on-demand economy (LODE) is how it flips the model for local commerce. For example, by connecting buyer and seller more directly, LODE sidesteps lots of traditional margin-compressing overhead (storefront, staff, warehouse, etc.) and engenders leaner unit…
YP's decision last July to create a separate business unit for its print operation fueled a great deal of speculation of what the next move would be. High on the list of possible scenarios was what happened yesterday when YP…
Despite the automation and e-commerce of the digital age, the need for human interaction persists. As we've covered, this is the principle that underlies much of DialogTech's product strategy, including a new announcement today. We had the chance to pre-brief with…
According to BIA/Kelsey's latest research in call monetization, annual calls to businesses from smartphones will reach 162 billion by 2019. This is more than double the roughly 77 billion calls generated last year from mobile devices. This is made up of…
eBay’s one-time dream of anchoring its large classifieds/marketplace business with Craigslist as now officially ended. Last week, eBay accepted a cash buyout from Craigslist for its 28.4 percent stake, allowing eBay to focus on splitting off its multi-billion dollar PayPal…
In the wake of last Friday's BIA/Kelsey NOW, we're all still digesting what one attendee called a "high caliber, content-dense and forward thinking," summit. We'll have full session coverage and video to come. For now, here is a sampling of pictures…
Could Apple make a local "order ahead" play as it links Maps, Apple Pay and Square? And what does the California Labor Commission's ruling on Uber drivers mean for the on-demand economy? These are a few topics we tackled this week,…
Wanderful Media, the newspaper-owned promotions company, has expanded on its original Find&Save coupon portal, which now includes 500 national and regional merchants, and 18,000 brands. The new expansion efforts are focused on Cash Dash, a geolocation promotions feature found within…
The continuing debate about what constitutes employment in on-demand businesses took a symbolic but positive turn for Uber drivers today, when the California Labor Commission ruled a former driver is owed $4,152.20 for her uncompensated mileage and tolls incurred, plus…
HomeAdvisor, formerly known as ServiceMagic, is set to roll out its Instant Booking service in July on a national basis. The Instant Booking service, which is now live in 20 cities, represents a different business model for the company, which…
We've long said that mobile payments on its own is a solution in search of a problem. The marginal difference between tapping a phone and swiping a credit card isn't enough to change such a deep-rooted habit. It needs something much…
Amazon.com, the online retail giant, intends to dip its toe into the on-demand market to solve the problem of same-day delivery. The Wall Street Journal reported today that Amazon will use local drivers coordinated through an Uber-like logistics system and…
What are the fundamentals that make the Local On-Demand Economy (LODE) tick? It's an important question to begin to reveal where there are entry points for innovation and business opportunity. We answered this question on Friday during BIA/Kelsey NOW in…
Next Wednesday, we're holding a webcast to examine what's really working in call analytics. Sponsored and co-hosted by DialogTech, the goal is to look at real tactics, best practices, and case studies for unlocking a massive opportunity with call analytics. This…
Is social identity the missing link to offline ad attribution? Are loyalty programs SMBs' new best friend? And what are the top tactics for mobile local ad campaigns? These are a few topics we tackled over the last week, aggregated…