Verticals

‘First’ Auto Dealer Mashup Launches

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Local auto dealers aren’t being found by Google. And their TV and print ads are largely invisible to a generation that TIVOs their television viewing, and doesn’t read newspapers. That will change, if Jim Bonfield succeeds with what he calls “the first auto dealer mashup.” Bonfield, a veteran business development executive with The Sacramento Bee and Travidia, … Read more

Geosign Invests in Go2 Mobile Directory

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Geosign, a privately-owned publisher of dozens of local and vertical services, including TrueLocal, has teamed with Go2 to get a foot in the door of the nascent mobile directory marketplace. Go2, founded in 1999, was a pioneer in mobile directories, employing over 100 people and forming relationships with key directory players. But it crashed and burned in the … Read more

NCI’s Shopper Pubs Fully Integrate Web Offering

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With the onslaught of online, fragmentation, and new advertiser models, newspapers and other local media could have it tough. But perhaps no one has it tougher than the free shopper publications that are distributed at grocery stores, vending boxes, libraries and coffeehouses. One of the oldest and largest shopper companies, Network Communications Inc., aims to turn … Read more

Details on YP.Com Purchase of LiveDeal

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Some interesting details about LiveDeal’s operations have been released as the result of its $11.8 million sale to YP.com. During a June 7 investor call announcing the sale, LiveDeal, a local/college/vertical-oriented classifieds company that bills itself as “eBay without the auction,” revealed that it grossed $2.6 million last year (different than the “$5 million” figure that I thought I heard … Read more

‘Oodle’ Pro Launches: Tieing the Self-Serve Sensibility of AdSense With Social

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Its not just about advertising anymore. Social media is important too. Accordingly, a number of vendors and network providers have developed tools to help them see where there best placements are; how their reputations are unfolding online; and to simplify and automate their processes for listings and other information. Today, Oodle has taken several steps … Read more

JD Power Roundtable: Social Media is Key for Ford

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All accounts from last week’s JD Power’s Automotive Roundtable in Las Vegas suggest that Ford Group VP Jim Farley laid out a really compelling picture of how a major manufacturer looks at its opportunities in digital, and especially, social media. Alex Snyder, in Dealer Refresh, quotes Farley as saying that TV gets 50 percent of its budget; Digital … Read more

‘Clever Commute’ Now in 5 Cities; Adds Ferries, Buses and Subways

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Clever Commute, which aggregates info from commuters on tardy schedules, is now in Boston, Chicago, Los Angeles, San Francisco and Washington D.C., per an article in USA Today. The service was launched three years ago by Joshua Crandall, a New York City-bound commuter to keep track of NJ Transit info. He initially got five fellow commuters to exchange … Read more

Parking Data Ventures Teams with 6 Parking Cos

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The next big vertical is…parking? Parking Data Ventures has been created to tackle all things parking. The five person, Baltimore-based service has created a database of 10,000 parking locations. It has partnered with six of the largest parking lot companies in the U.S. and Canada, and has info for 15+ other leading parking companies. It competes with Urban … Read more

Inman SF Connect: Yelp COO Geoff Donaker

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Yelp COO Geoff Donaker, subbing at the last minute for a “very ill” CEO Jerremy Stoppelman, told an Inman SF Connect audience that Yelp’s base of 24 million + unique “Yelpers,” seven million reviews and “thousands” of advertisers represents a rich opportunity for any vertical small business – including realtors. Although Yelp takes a horizontal “lifestyle” approach to … Read more