This Week in Local

For E69, co-hosts Mike Boland and Charles Laughlin shared highlights and insights from the recently completed L24 event in Arlington, Texas. L24 wasn't 100% AI-focused. Yet it was a key theme. Mike noted how practical the conversation around AI was at L24.  Charles pointed out that it was a relief that there wasn’t a lot of AI “doomer” talk at L24. Yet he felt some tough conversations were being avoided. For example, what’s really behind the talk about how AI is “democratizing” this or that? The analysts also discussed TikTok’s U.S. future. This surfaced throughout the event, which was before legislation was passed requiring TikTok’s owner Bytedance to divest its U.S. holdings. 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 E68, co-hosts Mike Boland and Charles Laughlin talk about how AI may disrupt yet another career ambition – becoming a professional influencer.  The analysts cite data showing that about half of GenZ’s say they would enjoy a career sunning poolside for brand deals. They then pierce this bubble by citing brands' likely temptation to build their own influencers with AI tools like Sora and Midjourney. While this trend may not bode well for aspiring young influencers, the analysts agreed that some flavors of influencer marketing may enjoy at least some AI immunity. This includes the emerging category of local influencers, exemplified by companies like Hummingbirds.  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 E67, co-hosts Mike Boland and Charles Laughlin Talk about TikTok’s effort to stave off elimination in the U.S. by citing its formidable economic impact, particularly among small businesses.  The U.S. House has already passed a TikTok ban. And the measure awaits Senate approval.  The main driver of the movement to ban the popular platform is national security concerns stemming from TikTok’s ownership by ByteDance, a Chinese company.  In the meantime, TikTok’s lobbying efforts are focused on something the analysts describe as “Apple Pie” to dissuade American lawmakers from following through on the ban effort. That is the fortunes of American small businesses. According to TikTok’s “Economic Impact Report 2024”, the video platform drove about $15 billion in revenue for U.S. SMBs in 2023.  The analysts debate whether this tack will work for TikTok.  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 this Episode of Localogy’s This Week in Local, co-hosts Mike Boland and Charles Laughlin unpack what we learned from Read.ai’s recent $21 million Series A funding round.  The analysts agreed that the round is a good sign that VCs are out there for companies with proven founders and a good story. Although, it is not enough to declare the VC winter is thawing because a respected serial founder with “AI” in his company's name was able to raise a round.  What the analysts found even more interesting was the product expansion that accompanied Read.ai’s funding round. This led to an interesting discussion on the episode of new ways organizations may (perhaps inevitably) apply this data.  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.

This Episode of Localogy’s This Week in Local features a rundown on an interesting new move in retail media, one of the current hottest trends in local.  Co-hosts Mike Boland and Charles Laughlin kick around the significance of retail giant Walmart’s recent decision to expand access to its retail media network to what it calls “non-endemic brands.”  Or as Mike puts it, Walmart has “opened the floodgates to let local SMBs into the mix.” What does this mean for retail media broadly? To date, this has largely been a game for brands.  Will other retail media networks follow suit and open their floodgates to let SMBs in? Listen to the analysts talk it out to learn more.  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 E64, co-hosts Mike Boland and Charles Laughlin dive into the European Union’s Digital Marketing Act and what it could mean for Apple, Alphabet (e.g., Google), and Meta (e.g., Facebook, Instagram). The Act “requires companies to give users and rivals more choices to ensure a level playing field.” What does a hefty fine mean to companies that could afford to colonize Mars? 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 E63, co-hosts Mike Boland and Charles Laughlin discuss the recent news from Uberall. Uberall co-founder and CEO Florian Hübner will pass the CEO baton and take over as President. It's all about strategic positioning. In some cases, the founder’s greatest value – including technical backgrounds – may lie closer to the product level or business development. 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 E62, host Mike Boland sits with Bluehost's Senior Director of Product Management, Chris Vanover Earlier this month Bluehost launched Bluehost Cloud, bringing its customers into the world of cloud hosting – an advanced form of web hosting that utilizes distributed servers for security, performance, and load balancing.  Listen to dive into these dynamics. 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 E61, co-hosts Mike Boland and Charles Laughlin discuss Chatmeter’s latest innovation: Risk Monitoring.  This groundbreaking AI technology scans reviews and social media to pinpoint potential crises before they escalate. Chatmeter's Risk Monitoring has transformed their approach to risk mitigation in the hyper-digital era, reshaping the future of reputation management and helping businesses navigate the complexities of online presence with confidence 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 E60, co-hosts Mike Boland and Charles Laughlin debate the merits of a new experiment from Google that applied AI to a common pain point.  Mke describes how Google has rolled out “Talk to a Live Rep” which uses AI to address a common consumer pain point, waiting on hold to talk to a live agent.  Mike sees this innovation within the broader context of Google’s AI strategy. In essence, Google is pursuing Talk to a Live Rep in the same manner as it has rolled out all of its famous consumer products.  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.