Despite the momentum behind digital advertising at the local level, Savveo, a Charlotte, NC-based company, has raised $2 million to build an online marketplace to help advertisers buy offline advertising, from ads on television and the radio to billboards and print. Read more »
Everyone likes the idea of a thriving website sustained by a community of local readers. But too often “local” has been the stuff of journalistic ideals rather than real-world business plans. Real estate blog, Curbed, appears to be bucking this trend. How? Read more at paidContent »
Location-based social network Foursquare is rolling out its long awaited promoted updates, an advertising product that allows local and national businesses to push out specials, news and pictures to Foursquare’s more than 20 million users. It’s the start of Foursquare’s big monetization push. Read more »
Google isn’t doing itself any favors if it was trying to deflect attention away from a potential change in Apple’s mobile mapping strategy. Ahead of reports that Apple will dump Google Maps on the iPhone next week, the company introduced some minor upgrades and dodged questions. Read more »
SignPost, a New York start-up, that helps craft online marketing campaigns for local businesses is getting more money to expand its efforts. Spark Capital is leading a $3.75 million Series A round in the three-year-old company. Read more »
Google has snapped up The Dealmap, an aggregator of nearby shopping deals, in an acquisition that furthers its Google Offers ambitions. The purchase, whose price was not disclosed, shows that Google is proceeding even without its unsuccessful $6 billion bid for Groupon last year. Read more »
ThinkNear caught my eye at the New York TechStars demo day with its data-driven approach to solving problems for local businesses. The company announced on Tuesday that it raised $1.6 million from investors to help roll out their technology, which hits New York Tuesday. Read more »
After helping improve maps in 183 countries and regions with Google Map Maker, Google is turning the power of crowd-sourced mapping on in the United States, a move that highlights the work Google is doing to own the local market. Read more »
