This is the latest in Localogy’s Skate To Where the Puck is Going series. Running semi-weekly, it examines the moves and motivations of tech giants as leading indicators for where markets are moving. Check out the entire series here, and its origin here.
Online information retrieval over the past decade has slowly evolved from link-centric search results and directories, towards the concept of answering direct questions. It’s seen in everything from Google’s knowledge panel, to asking Alexa about the weather, to the trend towards single-purpose mobile apps.
Along with the players above, Yext has embraced this trend. This is evident in its product road map and marketing over the past few years. Most recently, that includes Yext Answers for site search late last year; and its March move to support Covid-related consumer education by making the tool free.
Yext’s latest move to demonstrate a commitment to “answers” and education is its new thought-leadership content series. Titled “Answer Me This…” it will feature a procession of business leaders and influencers discussing career lessons, life hacks and business advice — a sort of MasterClass vibe.
Episodes include discussions with Greg McKeown, José Andrés, Seth Godin, and Angela Duckworth (coverage here). These four episodes — already recorded since the pandemic struck — include topics like essentialism, grit, growth mindset, truth & answers, and leadership in times of crisis, according to Yext.
Yext intends for these topics to transcend business lessons that are relevant only to the C-suite. The company says that the goal is more to appeal to individuals throughout the organization. Going a step further, the content sometimes transcends business altogether, touching on topics like personal success.
“Yext’s digital thought leadership series Answer Me This provides educational, inspiring, and entertaining moments to meet people where they are,” said – Lindsay Niemiec McKenna, VP Brand Experience at Yext. “As organizations face major changes and search for innovative solutions during the COVID-19 pandemic and beyond, Answer Me This delivers candid conversations with transformative business leaders, inspiring trailblazers, and industry influencers answering questions on how they got to where they are, what they learned along the way, and what they believe the future holds.”
The next episode airs Wednesday, July 22nd at 1 pm EST / 10 am PST. It will feature Misty Copeland (pictured above), principal dancer at the American Ballet Theater, and author of York Times bestsellers Life in Motion and Ballerina Body. She’ll be interviewed by Melody Hahm, West Coast Correspondent for Yahoo Finance.
