The last two years of AI’s rise have been scored by a chorus of punditry that goes something like: “AI is here, and it changes everything.” It’s a familiar tune in hype cycles that eventually morphs into “XYZ will change some things.” So jumping ahead, it’s a question of where AI works… and where it doesn’t.
Wix is on a roll. After launching its Harmony vibe coding tool, and a recent integration with Quickbooks, the company’s latest move is to bring instant bookings to Google Search, Maps, and AI Mode. Searchers using those products can transact directly with businesses that run on Wix.
New research from Yext reveals the inner workings of the AI engines increasingly used by consumers in place of traditional search. Though this usage continues to grow, the rules of engagement for companies seeking visibility remain unclear. But according to Yext, AI SEO may be harder than it looks.
Snap has quietly built up to a new milestone that’s turning heads on Wall Street. Its subscription business – consisting of Snapchat+ and a few other things – has reached 25 million paid users. That brings with it an ARR of $1 billion – a well-timed diversification move as the broader ad world suffers.
Now you can do your bookkeeping with your website builder. Wix and Intuit this week announced an expanded partnership that embeds core functions in the others’ familiar workflows. This is meant to offer one-stop-shop functionality for customers of both companies.
AI continues to morph into new forms and flavors as the enterprise software world figures out where it sticks. SMB SaaS is a subset or microcosm of that equation as AI is being applied to everything from email marketing to SEO gruntwork. The latest trend we’ve encountered is automated lead response.
What are the top considerations and strategies for franchise-based multi-location brands? A new report from Tiger Pistol tackles this question. Entitled The Franchise Marketing Enablement Playbook, the thought-leadership resource is the latest in Tiger Pistol’s ongoing playbook series.
The anticipated moment is here: ads in ChatGPT. What do these ads look like? Who are the advertisers signed up for the program so far? And what are strategic drivers and trajectory for OpenAI? We tackle these questions.
Digital out-of-home giant Clear Channel Outdoor – a division of iHeart Media – has agreed to a $6.3 billion all-cash buyout. The buyer is a private equity investor group comprised of Mubadala Capital and TWG Global, which will pay CCO common shareholders $2.43 per share – a 71 percent premium.
Yelp today announced a new partnership designed to help home services businesses streamline and automate their inbound lead management. By integrating Housecall Pro, it offers a Job Inbox that’s connected to existing Yelp tools like “Request a Quote” to automatically cultivate leads and save time.
Precisely has launched a new product to help enterprises and multi-location brands better harness location intelligence. Known as StreetPro Discover, it goes deeper than most intelligence databases in unearthing place insights to support targeted marketing, physical expansion, and other purposes.
Beyond Snap’s financial performance in Q4, one thing that jumped out to us during the analyst call was pointed remarks about SMB advertising. In fact, ‘SMB’ or its spelled-out variations were said 11 times. The headline is that SMB ad growth is driving Snap’s top line.
According to SOCi, LLM search queries now average 23 words, which is almost 6x that of traditional search engines. What are tactical takeaways for marketers?
Is Ring a sleeping giant in the world of local media, advertising, and commerce? This is a field that’s led by the Googles, Yelps, and Metas of the world. But does the Amazon-owned Ring have an underutilized set of assets that it could activate any time to compete with these incumbent giants in Local?
As Google continues to flex its muscles with Gemini, the latest search product getting an AI infusion is mapping and navigation. By bringing Gemini to Google Maps, users can have conversational dialogues, a la AI Mode, as they’re out shopping or looking for something to eat in a new neighborhood.
Wix this week launched Harmony, a new vibe coding tool that will help individuals and developers streamline the process of building websites. With lots of moving parts, one of Harmony’s hallmarks is balancing the right dose of AI for automated workflows, while preserving human agency and creativity.
Among the many angles surrounding the AI discussion these days, one that’s seldom discussed is how the technology is integrated into a given organization. We’re not talking about product integrations – though that’s closely related – but rather AI’s integration into company culture.
Search and social visibility powerhouse SOCi has released its 2026 Local Visibility Index. The wide-reaching report reveals tactics that multi-location brands should execute to boost presence in local search and AI engines.
Among all the areas that AI could accelerate and elevate, another one occurred to us recently: All-in-one software offerings. These SMB SaaS platforms span several marketing and operational functions. How does AI align? The technology’s need for federated data compels platforms that process more stuff.
Yelp is expanding its push beyond marketing and deeper into SMB operations with the acquisition of AI-powered lead management platform Hatch. The $300 million deal strengthens Yelp’s ability to help local service businesses convert leads, automate customer communications, and reclaim time through AI-driven workflows—signaling a continued shift toward operational SaaS for SMBs
