TKG Data and Analysis: A Weekly Recap

Here are the highlights from the TKG blog over the past week, in case you missed any posts. Click below to read each post in full.

Multi-Media Drives More Conversions

In the ever increasing multi-product world of directory and local media organizations, this type of data gives even more credence to selling a set of media solutions that all work together to increase both reach and improves conversion rates. The core concept is that by reaching more people with a consistent message SMBs increase their opportunity to convert prospects into customers. (read more)

A Whole New Kind of Outdoor Advertising

Okay, so it’s not really outdoor advertising, but the big six legacy airlines airlines have begun to slap ads onto their paper tickets and boarding passes. The new ads will include geographically relevant promotions for destination businesses like hotels, restaurants, theme parks, golf courses, etc.. They started showing up this week on Delta flights to Las Vegas and they’ll be rolled out to other flights and carriers over the next few weeks (see demo here). (read more)

ShopLocal ’08 Summit: Retailers Focus on Promotions

It is an awkward time for a company to be holding an affiliate meeting right after it has been sold. This week, ShopLocal was put in this position for its long planned meeting with 120 retail partners in Chicago (which I spoke at). The company has just been consolidated by Gannett, which bought off shares held by Tribune and McClatchy at a substantial discount. The company, valued at $85 million in 2006, is now valued at $52.5 million. (read more)

What Role will IYPs Play in Next Generation Mobile Search?

Now that the 3G iPhone and App Store have arrived, the iPhone is decidedly more appealing and user friendly for both mainstream users, and for companies of all sizes to create and deliver mobile apps. The previous post explored how local search on the device is shaping up to have clear social elements. (read more)

Will Social be the Killer App for Mobile?: Part II

Social features have been a core element of many of the local search applications in the iPhone’s AppStore, such as WHERE, Whrrl, and Loopt (WHERE is in the top 20 downloaded free apps so far). Each of these not only tell you where to find things locally (each features different categories to search), but also utilize the iPhone’s location awareness to tell you where your friends are. (read more)

DexKnows Drills Deeper With City Pages

Today R.H. Donnelley unveiled a new local feature called City Pages within its DexKnows.com Internet Yellow Pages site. The aim of these landing pages is to aggregate listings and consumer reviews for local businesses in key metros. A prominent feature of the pages is “Recent Reviews” (shown above), which show new consumer ratings posted across a wide array of business categories. (read more)

Signs of Google Social Search Emerge

A few Google users have come forward with screenshots of Google’s “bucket testing” of a social search feature. Like Digg, StumbleUpon and other social search engines, it allows users to actively rate or vote on search results using small icons that appear next to results. The company has done similar tests in the past. (read more)

Zvents Brings Paul Levine on Board

AdBrite VP of Marketing (and former Yahoo Local GM) Paul Levine has joined the board of local event site Zvents. Since its launch in 2005, Zvents has raised about $7 million and has made some strong moves in local events, including teaming up with many online newspapers like Boston.com to power their events sections. (read more)

Under New Management: Outside.in Redefines ‘Local’ As ‘You’

The relationship between personalization and local has always been a close one, but now Outside.in is banking that consumers want to marry them together. The placeblogger site, which recently received $3 million in new funding from a group of high-profile cyber people such as Fred Wilson and Esther Dyson, has rolled out several personalization/localization software tools. (read more)

IPhone Tidbits: Day 4

While there were many well-documented incidents of crashing servers and glitches in getting 3G iPhones activated over the past few days, Apple announced today that it has already sold 1 million of the new devices. (read more)