Local Radar
Local Radar: Sales Enablement, Financial Management & Podcasting
In this edition of Localogy’s Local Radar series, we examine newly funded companies Numa, Dinii, and AirDoctor.
AI
Personal vs. Personalization: Which Will Win in 2025?
What’s the difference between personal and personalization? Yext chief data officer and frequent Localogy conference keynoter Christian Ward sees a big difference between the two. Not only that, but one is facing its demise, and the other is primed to flourish. Can you guess which is which?
Neighborly
Neighborly’s Home-Services Drive $4 Billion in Gross Revenue
Neighborly has rolled up several trusted local brands like Mr. Rooter, Molly Maids, and Mosquito Joe for a broad but focused home-services play. We captured the company’s drivers and dynamics at the recent Street Fight Live event.
Foursquare
Location Intelligence: A Conversation with Foursquare
Foursquare continues to lead the way in a key subset of local media & marketing: location intelligence. It’s een at it for about 15 years, and continues to innovate and advance the state of the art. What’s the latest in its endeavors? We had the chance to catch up with CTO Vikram Gundeti to find out.
Pro Features
Yelp Drops 20 New Features to Round Out 2024
Yelp today launched its end-of-year update. And it’s heavy on AI. Specifically, the company is positioning large language models to better connect consumers and local businesses.
Local Beats
Local Beats: Ad-World M&A, Agentforce Amps Up, and OpenAI Monetizes
In this edition of Localogy’s Local Beats, we examine news and moves from Interpublic Group, Salesforce & OpenAI.
Pro Features
Walmart Closes $2.3 Billion Vizio Acquisition
The wait is over for Walmart. The company has just closed its acquisition of TV maker Vizio. The acquisition first made news back in February, but has since been in a holding pattern due to standard federal regulatory approval. Now, Walmart is free to proceed with the all-cash $2.3 billion deal.
Cyber Week
Cyber Week Shopping: Naughty and Nice
The figures are in: Cyber week has reached record consumer spending levels – a positive sign amidst a softened economy. Indeed, several predictions called for a dip in non-essential spending this holiday season. The evidence looks good so far, though there’s still time for declines
Local Radar
Local Radar: Delivery Robots, EV Charging & Creator Economy Monetization
In this edition of Localogy’s Local Radar, we examine newly funded companies KiwiBot, Agentio & Ampeco.
AI
Street Fight Live: A Practical Guide to AI
AI continues to hold equal parts hype and practical applicability. We got a rare and valuable taste of the latter in a panel discussion at Street Fight Live.
Pro Features
Siri’s Fate in the AI Age Gains Further Clarity
What’s Siri’s fate in the AI age? Signs point to Apple keeping it around and upgrading it to modern LLM standards.
Instagram
Instagram Escalates the Social Mapping Wars
Instagram this week fired the latest shot in the ongoing social mapping wars. Users can now share their locations with friends via direct messages. Once those messages are received and activated, the recipient can see the sender’s live location within Instagram’s mapping feature for up to an hour.
Local Radar
Local Radar: Mapping, Event Planning & Food Tech
In this edition of Localogy’s Local Radar, we examine Atlas.co, Partiful & Wonder
AI
Searching for Meaning in a Post-GPT World
What does AI mean for media companies, brands, and everyone else that has optimized themselves for search engines? This was the topic of a presentation at Street Fight Live from Yext VP of Strategic Partnerships, Brooke Henderson.
Google
Google Lens Doubles Down on Local Offline Shopping
Google Lens continues to be a sleeping giant in the world of local commerce. As a visual search tool, it can identify and contextualize items that you point your phone at. Carrying similar user intent as web search, Google is salivating over the idea of more high-intent query volume that flows from your camera.
MULO
Tiger Pistol’s Latest Playbook Tackles Multi-Location Campaign Management
Tiger Pistol is on a roll. Just one week after launching its playbook on overcoming inflation, today it releases one on campaign management. Specificially, it guides brands to manage cohesive marketing efforts across several channels and geographies, and keep everything rowing in the same direction.
Local Radar
Local Radar: AI Writers & ‘Travel Convenience’
In this edition of Localogy’s Local Radar, we examine newly funded companies Bounce, Cogna & Writer
Amazon
Amazon Inches Closer to Last Mile Drone Delivery
Amazon has reached the latest milestone in the elusive dream for last-mile logistics: ubiquitous drone delivery. After recently concluded its delivery trials in California, it’s now moving on to the next test market: Phoenix.
AI
Meta Breaks Down AI-Fueled Ads
There’s lots of talk about Meta’s AI integrations in its ad creation and campaign workflows. But we rarely get a glimpse into how those integrations and infusions are happening. Last week at Street Fight Live, we were given just that. Meta’s Brody Karmenzind presented all the ways AI enters the picture.
MULO
Tiger Pistol Offers a Playbook for Overcoming Inflation
Tiger Pistol today addressed the world of multi-location brands with a new playbook on overcoming inflation. Entitled Overcoming Inflation: A Playbook for Maximizing Franchise Profitability Through Local Advertising, it’s meant to navigate MULO operators through the current macroeconomic headwinds.