Apple
Apple Maps Comes to a Browser Near You
Starting in public beta, users can access Apple Maps for the first time via their web browser, including directions, curated city guides, and other app favorites like Look Around.
Adobe
Adobe’s Gen AI Balancing Act
Adobe’s new features in Photoshop and Illustrator to help users generate textures and images on the fly. We examine the details and go deeper into Adobe’s gen AI strategy.
MULO
Yelp Emphasizes MULO Brands in its Summer Ad Release
Yelp is often known as a company that works with small businesses in their local presence and promotion. But local businesses also include multi-location (MULO) brands. As part of its annual summer feature release, Yelp is specifically accommodating this segment of the local ecosystem.
Amazon
Prime Day Sets New Records
This week saw “Black Friday in July.” That’s right, it was Prime Day… which is actually two days. The Amazon-invented holiday broke records this year and we have all the data and takeaways.
Microsoft
Is Microsoft Designer a Canva Killer?
Microsoft Designer launches this week as a web and mobile app to fullfill a variety of Canva-like no-code design functions. And it’s built with modern AI-first design principles, rather than catching up to add AI to an existing suite.
Pro Features
Tiger Pistol Partners with AdBud to Elevate Social Marketing
Tiger Pistol announced today that it’s partnering AdBud. The collaboration creates a new feature in AdBud’s platform called Automatic SoMe ads, which lets users – mostly agencies and brands – manage and optimize Facebook and Instagram campaigns.
Pro Features
Microsoft Unifies the Retail Media Ecosystem
Microsoft formed a deal with Criteo to bring more direct retail media opportunities to 500,000 advertisers in its Microsoft Advertising business.
Pro Features
Out of Home Advertising Takes to the Skies
DOOH’s latest development is sky marketing. This involves autonomous drones that fly in intricate patterns and display specific colors to render deliberate imagery. Is this the ultimate form of local advertising?
AI
Are SMBs Ready for AI?
With $6 million in seed funding, Enso aims to assist various SMB daily operations and marketing tasks through pre-programed and purpose-built AI agents.
Pro Features
Software Valuations are Back… Sort Of
PitchBook reports that software valuations in the first half of 2024 have returned to pre-slump (pre-Q1 2022) levels. But there’s a catch. We examine.
logistics
Florida Man’s Hair Trigger Raises Key Questions About Last-Mile Delivery
A Florida man shot down a Walmart delivery drone after thinking it was spying on him. What are the implications for the future of last-mile local delivery?
Data Scout
Ranking Retail: Who Are Top Players Globally?
If one were to ask you to name the top five retailers in the world, by revenue, what would you guess? Visual Capitalist recently answered this question and its list crossed our desk, with some surprising and unsurprising results.
Pro Features
Walmart is All-In on Immersive Shopping
Walmart’s virtual showroom feature lets users outfit a room with various items. We examine how this ties in with Walmart’s broader evolution in immersive shopping
Google
Google Streamlines Mobile Local Search in Chrome
Google announced a series of updates for the Chrome mobile app, including local search enhancements.
AI
Soci Chat is An AI-Fueled Resource for Multi-Location Businesses
Soci has met the moment with its latest release: an AI-powered chatbot. Known as SOCi Chat, it lets its users (multi-location businesses) offer their users (consumers) streamlined ways to ask questions and interact.
Advertising
Paid Content or Ad Support: The Eternal Question
There’s an ongoing rallying cry among tech & media pundits that ad-supported media is dead. But is that really playing out, and do actual consumers feel the same. We dive into the data.
Pro Features
Retail Media Growth Avenues: Non-Endemic and Offsite
Within the hot retail media trend, we’re starting to see a sub-trend. Yes, it’s a trend within a trend. Specifically, many of the 200+ retail
eCommerce
Shopify and Target Give SMBs a Path to Scale
Shopify announced this week that it has partnered with Target to give its merchants online amplification and distribution on Target.com.
Pro Features
Yelp Rolls Out New Accessibility Features
In advance of Disability Pride Month in July, Yelp has announced today that it’s launching a series of features to help individuals with disabilities connect with local businesses.
Amazon
Tiger Pistol Adds Amazon Sponsored Display Ads to its Platform
Tiger Pistol has beefed up its platform. The company recently told Localogy that it’s among a few select partners to take part in Amazon’s Sponsored Display product, currently in beta.