Here is today’s roundup of news related to local marketing and advertising, local media, technology, local commerce, consumer behavior and more.

Yelp and Google Bringing More ‘SaaS’ to SMB Profiles (June 25, 2019)
LSA Insider: “Today Yelp introduced several Business Page upgrades. These new offerings, Verified License, Business Highlights and Portfolio, are designed to help business owners stand out and better promote themselves. They’re also intended to generate new subscription revenues for Yelp.”

Shopify Is Flying High (June 25, 2019)
LSA Insider: “Few companies in the SMB SaaS ecosystem have gained the traction or attracted the spotlight as Shopify (SPOT) has. Investors have rushed to participate in the Shopify evolution, doubling the value of the company over the past year ($153 v. $320 share price). What exactly is driving this remarkable valuation?”

Are Late Payments Killing Small Business? (June 25, 2019)
LSA Insider: “A new study in Australia showing how late payments are hindering small-business growth is just the latest in a series of studies underscoring how cash flow remains a major challenge for SMBs and a leading cause of business failure.”

Alexa, Podcasts, and the Role of Voice in Today’s Marketing (June 25, 2019)
Street Fight: “Marketers ignore smart speakers and podcasts at their own peril. Both of these voice-based mediums are playing more prominent roles in how consumers find information and interact with their favorite brands. Where are we today in voice marketing? Let’s take a look at some trends and what marketers are doing to answer them.”

Amazon’s ad revenues to grow 470% by 2023, study finds (June 25, 2019)
Marketing Dive: “The new Juniper report is the latest to point to how Amazon’s growth as an advertising platform is disrupting the digital media landscape. An eMarketer forecast in February projected that Amazon’s share of the U.S. digital ad market will reach nearly 10% next year, while the combined share of Google and Facebook will drop for the first time in 2019.”