This Week in Local

In E79, David Shim shares his journey from founding Placed, to leading Foursquare as CEO, and now pioneering AI-driven solutions for online meetings with Read AI. Whether you're an entrepreneur, tech enthusiast, or just curious about the digital local ecosystem, this episode offers valuable perspectives on navigating and succeeding in the fast-paced world of startups. In these highlights from David’s session at Localogy’s recent L24 conference, he discusses the evolution of startup life, the challenges of building businesses in the modern landscape, and why now is the perfect time for Read AI, which recently raised $21 million to enhance virtual meetings with artificial intelligence. This Week in Local is a Localogy production. To learn more, please visit Localogy.com. Would you like to recommend a guest, ask a question, or sponsor an episode? Start a conversation with us at podcast@localogy.com.

In E78, host Charles Laughlin is joined by James Morse, SVP of Product at BrandMuscle and they discuss the unique challenges and strategies involved in marketing within the beverage alcohol industry, highlighting the historical context and modern-day intricacies of this highly regulated market. James provides a comprehensive look into the complexities of the beverage alcohol market, emphasizing the importance of local marketing and compliance. The discussion offers valuable insights for anyone interested in the dynamics of alcohol distribution and marketing. This Week in Local is a Localogy production. To learn more, please visit Localogy.com.  Would you like to recommend a guest, ask a question, or sponsor an episode? Start a conversation with us at podcast@localogy.com.

In E77, we share another highlight from Localogy’s recent L24 conference in Arlington, Texas.  Our colleague Dan Hight sat down with Dave Rivera of Vistar Media to learn what’s new in Digital Out of Home advertising. What resulted was a very engaging journey deep into the history of out of home (it all began with cave paintings, essentially) through its power today as one of the only media that reaches people when they are out and about.  The interview took place in April on stage at our L24 conference in Arlington, Texas. This 1:1 interview was originally supposed to be a panel. But unfortunately, Karim Kanji of Broadsign was unable to attend.  So we ended up with this engaging fireside chat about what is driving the growth of digital out of home. And what’s holding it back.  This Week in Local is a Localogy production. To learn more, please visit Localogy.com.  Would you like to recommend a guest, ask a question, or sponsor an episode? Start a conversation with us at podcast@localogy.com.

In E76, we share one of the key moments from Localogy’s recent L24 conference in Arlington, Texas. In April on the morning of the conference’s second day, Localogy analyst Charles Laughlin sat down with Joe to discuss leadership and managing through change.  Joe is a longstanding leader in the local search industry,  The conversation at L24 followed a short presentation where Joe reflected on a “lifetime of pivots.” The interview we share in this episode delves into the thinking behind the key decisions Joe made as a leader over the years.  These choices include continuing to produce print directories even as the industry shifted to digital and committing the organization to a major pivot to SaaS.  This Week in Local is a Localogy production. To learn more, please visit Localogy.com.   Would you like to recommend a guest, ask a question, or sponsor an episode? Start a conversation with us at podcast@localogy.com.

In E75, Localogy analyst Mike Boland talks about automating the art of campaign management with Lasso Media Founder (and local search vet) Mike Wilson. This conversation about local search’s transformation by automation will have veterans nodding in recognition and newcomers taking notes.  Wilson says his agency was automating digital marketing well before the recent AI surge. Now Lasso uses AI to accelerate this automation process.  Wilson points to call based advertising. The persistent idea that the value of a call is based on its duration is now “antiquated”. AI can quickly ascertain if a call produces a lead, regardless of its length.  This Week in Local is a Localogy production. To learn more, please visit Localogy.com.   Would you like to recommend a guest, ask a question, or sponsor an episode? Start a conversation with us at podcast@localogy.com.

In E74, Localogy analyst Mike Boland welcomes SOCi Director of Market Insight Damian Rollison, a research whiz whom Mike anoints as an honorary lifetime member of the local search analyst community.  Enjoy this geeky yet breezy conversation about modern trends in search, in particular, how generative AI is transforming (but not destroying) the search experience. The conversation is timely amid reports that OpenAI (e.gChatGPT) is on the verge of rolling out its own search engine.  But the conversation doesn’t limit itself to AI. Mike and Damian talk about other ways that search is evolving. For example, the two discuss how TikTok has become the preferred search engine of many younger consumers, even if it isn’t even a search engine.  This Week in Local is a Localogy production. To learn more, please visit Localogy.com.   Would you like to recommend a guest, ask a question, or sponsor an episode? Start a conversation with us at podcast@localogy.com.

In E73, co-hosts Mike Boland and Charles Laughlin talk about Apple’s moves to make it even easier for small businesses to control how they appear on Apple Maps via Apple Business Connect.  As Mike puts it, Apple’s efforts to make it easier for small businesses to update their profiles (which dictate how they appear on Apple Maps) is such a smart move. It allows Apple to scale its listings content by giving small businesses the tools to do it themselves. And they have an incentive to do so. What business doesn’t want to be found at the right time for the right reason? This Week in Local is a Localogy production. To learn more, please visit Localogy.com. Would you like to recommend a guest, ask a question, or sponsor an episode? Start a conversation at podcast@localogy.com.

In E72, co-hosts Mike Boland and Charles Laughlin discuss the state of Threads. This is the Meta app (joined at the hip with Instagram) that emerged last year as a text-based social network. And as an alternative for those who could not abide Elon Musk’s stewardship of X (nee Twitter).  The hook for this discussion was a recent Meta initiative to entice Instagram creators to create on Threads. It’s a move the analysts understand. Platforms like Threads need content that attracts users. And lots of it. But they also felt this move has distinct Groupon or “Happy Hour vibes.” In other words, a whiff of desperation.  This Week in Local is a Localogy production. To learn more, please visit Localogy.com.   Would you like to recommend a guest, ask a question, or sponsor an episode? Start a conversation at podcast@localogy.com.

For E71, co-hosts Mike Boland and Charles Laughlin discuss the emerging new normal of how tech startups are being organized. This new normal involves a hyper-lean mindset among founders who now build with much smaller teams, outsource a lot more, are far more stingy with equity, and automate as much as they can using AI. This Week in Local is a Localogy production. To learn more, please visit Localogy.com.   Would you like to recommend a guest, ask a question, or sponsor an episode? Start a conversation with us at podcast@localogy.com.

In E70, co-hosts Mike Boland and Charles Laughlin discuss one of the most talked about startups in the Localogy-verse – Howard Lerman’s Ro.am.  Specifically, co-host Mike Boland gives a download on his test drive of the Roam UX. And given Mike’s expertise in AR/VR, Roam’s spatial orientation is right up Mike’s alley.   Mike’s key point is that Roam’s mission is to break out of the “form over function” trap that so much of what we build falls into.  This Week in Local is a Localogy production. To learn more, please visit Localogy.com.   Would you like to recommend a guest, ask a question, or sponsor an episode? Start a conversation with us at podcast@localogy.com.