‘Search Starts Here’: A Look Inside Solocal’s Business Transformation

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Jean-Pierre Remy, CEO and president of Solocal, gave us a deep look into Solocal’s impressive transformation from a traditional print Yellow Pages publisher to France’s leading local search company.

The transformation has resulted in strong results.  Today, Solocal’s online business represents 58% of revenues, and is expected to rise to 75% in 2015.  Solocal is the No. 1 local portal in France, and ranks as a top 5 destination for web and mobile reach.

So how did they do it?

Jean-Pierre said an intense focus on executing against a simply articulated strategy became the focus of every employee in the company.

Core to the strategy is the company’s focus on “local communication,” which broadened the company well beyond its print history.  Supporting the strategy is a three-pronged approach:

  • Digital content: Jean-Pierre said investing in content that isn’t available anywhere else, is the most important factor in driving value for advertisers and consumers.
  • Local media: Solocal has focused on building leading brands and partnering with leaders in local and social, including Facebook, Bing, and Yahoo.
  • Communications advisors: Retraining and recruiting talented communications advisors who can build trusted relationships with advertisers.  (Solocal has 2,500 local communication advisors.)

Jean-Pierre said the challenge now is for the communications advisors to go deep in their understanding of their clients so that Solocal’s customer focus can lead to specialized and customized offers and media for each client.

“When you go online, you have many more opportunities to help your clients adapt their local communication, but it means you really have to understand their business in much more detail.”

Looking to the future, Solocal is setting its sights on mobile growth, noting that the company is seeing traffic migrate from the web itself to mobile and social.

Jean-Pierre said Solocal must constantly innovate and look for new approaches to leverage social.  The company most recently experimented on Facebook with a brand called “Zoom On.” Zoom On creates an audience within special cities or regions.  Zoom On has been successful in terms of audience traffic, but Jean-Pierre said it still needs to convert that traffic into a monetization strategy.

That’s a key question we’ll all be asking as we continue to integrate social into local search offerings.  Based on what Solocal has done so far, I’m sure they’ll find the answer.

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April 15, 2013 | Leave a Comment
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‘Search Starts Here’: 2013 SMB State of the Union

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Industry analysts Greg Sterling and Neal Polachek delivered an “SMB State of the Union” address this morning. Their key message was that small businesses are facing heavy competition and need the industry’s help.

Neal compares the current situation with the rise of big box retailers like Wal-Mart, Staples, and Dominos years ago. He says now the same phenomenon is happening within the service sector in areas like dentistry, beauty, and auto maintenance.

Greg put the problem small businesses are facing simply: When making buying decisions consumers choose the “path of least resistance” and big brands have the resources to provide a more streamlined process.

With so many digital platforms available, small businesses are having trouble keeping up. Analysts are finding that businesses are investing in SEO, social, and other online marketing functions however they may not be developing comprehensive approaches. Owners often lack the knowledge to optimize their marketing strategy and don’t have the time to address inaccuracies on search engines and online directories.

Small business owners want and need a partner they can call to help manage their digital marketing presence so that they can focus on their core business. Neal predicts there is a $3.9 billion opportunity for the industry to help small businesses move from their current fragmented approach to best practice on digital platforms.

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April 15, 2013 | Leave a Comment
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‘Search Starts Here’ Workshop: Winning the Hispanic Market

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With the local search market becoming more and more fragmented, it’s incredibly important to understand your target audience and find the best ways to reach them. YaSabe.com has done just that, as one of the largest search engines targeted directly at the Hispanic market.

At this morning’s first workshop, COO, Azim Tejani shared how YaSabe.com is winning the Hispanic audience by targeting and tailoring content to suit the needs of this niche market. YaSabe.com is a destination for the 52 million Hispanic Americans looking for local business information, classified ads, and user generated comments and reviews.

YaSabe’s approach focuses on three things:

Geographic Targeting: The Hispanic population nationwide is heavily concentrated in just 10 cities, so YaSabe targets each of those areas to help local searchers find nearby businesses.

Custom User Experience: The Hispanic market itself is quite segmented, with the population having different dialects and affinities across the board. Users may search in different dialects, fully in English, fully in Spanish, or in “Spanglish.” Based on country of origin, YaSabe tailors each users experience to create a custom presentation. Each user sees their dialect of Spanish reflected in local information.

Tailored Content: Hispanic consumers are searching for different products, foods, and business types so YaSabe provides that special content. There is a strong emphasis on helping consumers find bilingual businesses and medical care as well as niche Latino foods.

The Hispanic audience contributed $1.2 trillion in spending to the American economy in 2012 and is the 15th largest economy in the world – and it’s quickly growing. We can expect more local search firms to shift attention to this growing audience in the years to come.

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April 15, 2013 | Leave a Comment
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‘Search Starts Here’: Neg Norton and Bill Dinan Look at the Future of Local Search

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Bill Dinan, president of Telmetrics and chairman of LSA, and Neg Norton, president of LSA, kicked off the general session today with a look at the Local Search Association of the future.

Bill said there are two critical factors in the local search industry’s future success.

“Success in the industry will be based on people understanding two things: where advertisers are going technologically and where technology platforms are going … We need to make sure we’re on convergent paths.”

Bill, LSA’s first chairman that doesn’t come from a publisher or CMR, believes Yellow Pages publishers have strong assets – sales people, feet on the street, local market experts – that give them a unique advantage in the market.  But he believes partnerships are key for the future.

In his state of the association address, Neg showed data from comScore that suggests mobile will be the transformation driver of the local search space in the days to come.

The share of web traffic originating from mobile devices more than doubled last year, growing from 7% in December 2011 to 15% in December 2012.  comScore found that 48% of mobile phone users access local content, and account for 27% of web traffic for directory and resources searches.

Neg said LSA is unveiling a new digital dashboard to provide members with real-time usage data from local search sources, and will be investing in more analytics and insights tools to keep members ahead of the changing market.  By broadening the analytical tools LSA offers members and making an extra investment in research, we can support our members to transition to digital and to provide value to new digital members.

Beyond research, Neg said that LSA will to amend its bylaws and take a fresh look at all of its services to better accommodate our growing diversity of members, as digital and social companies.

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April 15, 2013 | Leave a Comment
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‘Search Starts Here’: Congratulations to the 2013 Industry Excellence Awards Honorees!

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We gathered for a lively reception last evening to announce the winners of our 2013 Industry Excellence Awards. The annual awards recognize local search publishers, agencies and suppliers for outstanding achievements in the local advertising business.

Our 2013 winners developed cutting-edge campaigns in mobile, search marketing, social marketing, innovation and community service that enhanced the ways the local search industry serves its clients, consumers and communities.

Our team did a great job pulling together a classic black & white silent movie, “A Night in Black in White,” to announce this year’s winners! It’s really great – you can view it here.

Here is the full list of 2013 Industry Excellence Awards winners: 

Mobile Platform or New App Gold Award Winner – Yellow Pages Group

Shopwise: Smart Shopping Beyond Deals

Mobile Platform or New App Gold Award Winner – SMG Directory Marketing

Pay Per Drive Mobile Campaign

Mobile Platform or New App Gold Award Winner – Moasis Global LLC

Geo-Centric Mobile Ad Platform

Search Marketing Value Story Gold Award Winner – DAC Group

Enhanced brand visibility for Trane through print and Internet Yellow Pages

Search Marketing Value Story Gold Award Winner – SuperMedia

OEM co-op program featuring EveryCarListed.com®

Search Marketing Value Story Gold Award Winner – Telmetrics Inc.

Web2Tel 2.0 Next Generation Call Tracking

Social Marketing Gold Award Winner – SuperMedia

Relationships and Results Campaign

Social Marketing Gold Award Winner – Search Influence LLC

SMB Digital Marketing Platform

Community Service Gold Award Winner – Michaels Wilder Agency

Volunteer Personal Time Off Program

 

Community Service Gold Award Winner – Telmetrics Inc.

‘One Whisker at a Time’ Campaign for men’s health

Most Innovative Program Gold Award Winner – YP

Ft. Worth Lucky Number Sweepstakes

Stuart Stanze Award – Matt Krug, Environmental Relations Manager, hibu

Serving as vital representative of publishers’ environmental and consumer choice efforts

National Marketing Division Publisher Partnership Award – hibu

Customized publisher/CMR partnership program

National Marketing Division Publisher Partnership Award – YP

National Lead Enhancement Plan

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April 15, 2013 | Leave a Comment
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‘Search Starts Here’: General Session Underway!

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The general session of our “Search Starts Here” annual conference is underway in Las Vegas! Check back here at Local Search Insider for session overviews throughout the day. And join in the online conversation! We’re live-tweeting at @LocalSearchAssn using the hashtag #SearchStartsHere.

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April 15, 2013 | Leave a Comment
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‘Search Starts Here’: Beautiful Day for Golf in Vegas!

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We had a great time at the YPG Golf Tournament at the Arroyo Golf Course yesterday here in Las Vegas. Our thanks to YPG for sponsoring the tournament and to American Directory Systems, Fairway Group, hibu, Spearfish and SuperMedia for the towels, hole sponsorships and badly need drink cart!

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April 14, 2013 | Leave a Comment
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See you at Search Starts Here 2013!

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Over the next several days, local search industry leaders from the U.S., Canada and 12 other countries will be arriving in Las Vegas for our annual conference, “Search Starts Here.” We’re looking forward to learning, sharing and networking – all in beautiful 80-degree weather!

If you’re in town, be sure to stop by the Yellow Pages Group Golf Tournament at the Arroyo Golf Club on Sunday. It should be a great day to be out on the green!

We’ll be live blogging throughout the conference here at Local Search Insider and live tweeting via @LocalSearchAssh using hashtag #SearchStartsHere. Be sure to follow us and join in on the conversation!

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April 13, 2013 | Leave a Comment
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Borrell: Local Search Companies Lead Rankings for Top ‘Traditional to Digital’ Transformations

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Borrell Associates

Earlier today, Borrell Associates released the findings of its new “Local Online Media: 2012 Revenue Survey.” The survey analyzed 6,284 local online operations in the U.S. and Canada and online ad-spending forecasts in 513 U.S. digital marketing regions (DMRs). Borrell found that traditional local media companies are rapidly making the jump to digital and are seeing a growing share of their revenue come from digital ventures, with local search organizations heading the pack.

Digital ‘Morph’ Rates

Local search companies are leading traditional local media organizations in growing their shares of total gross revenues from digital sales. Yellow Media, YP, hibu, Dex One, and SuperMedia represent five of the top ten traditional media companies with the greatest shares of digital to total revenue.

Borrell Associates

Borrell notes that if current trends continue, digital ventures could contribute half of company profits to these traditional media companies within the next five years.

Changing Behaviors

The study found that consumers are increasingly willing to pay for online content, including directory information. We’ve seen the pay model adopted recently by newspaper websites (notably the New York Times and the Washington Post), but Borrell found that online directories like Angie’s List are experiencing success with charging customers to access listings and reviews as well.

Angie’s List saw a 66% increase in paid subscriptions for 2012, with 250,000 new subscribers in the fourth quarter of 2012 alone.

Local Search Ranks High, But Challenges Remain

Borrell also ranked the top local online marketing companies in terms of 2012 revenue. Local search companies dominated the list of top performers with YP, Yellow Media, CityGrid Media, Dex One, Hibu and SuperMedia all placing in the top 20.

But traditional media local search companies still face obstacles to overall growth.  While Yellow Pages directory companies are growing at a strong rate in digital, as a whole, many are growing at a slower rate than industry average given the decline in print revenues.

The biggest opportunity the report found for future local online ad revenue was in the loyalty space. Borrell found that while local businesses are ramping up promotions focused on attracting new customers and driving traffic, they aren’t doing much to retain those customers for the long-term. Borrell suggests local marketing companies help businesses create tailored programs to keep customers coming back.

The Borrell report offers a vast array of fascinating insights on the local advertising industry and how traditional media is adapting to changing consumer behaviors. To access the full survey, visit Borrell’s website.

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April 11, 2013 | Leave a Comment
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vSplash: Local Independent Tax Preparers Behind the Curve in Digital

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vSplash

With the April 15th federal tax return deadline right around the corner, vSplash released an interesting new infographic which shows that local independent tax preparers are lagging well behind their national counterparts in leveraging digital and mobile tools to reach new customers.

vSplash estimates that there is at least a $140 million opportunity for digital marketing service providers to help thousands of local independent tax preparers get ready for next year’s tax season.

Check out the infographic below for additional details and click over to a blog post by vSplash’s Neal Polacheck about the data. We’re excited to hear from Neal first hand during the SMB “State of the Union” session at our Search Starts Here conference next week in Las Vegas.

Digital Presence Analysis of Tax Preparers vSplash Infographic

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April 10, 2013 | Leave a Comment
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Facebook ‘Nearby’ is Now Facebook ‘Local Search’

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FacebookFacebook Local Search

This week Facebook renamed its ‘Nearby’ feature to ‘Local Search’ on its iOS app. The feature helps users find close-by friends and businesses – all within the Facebook network.

The new name seems to better reflects how the tool helps users find local businesses. Before its re-launch late last year, the feature was mostly targeted at users who like to check-in at venues and see what their friends are up to. Now, Facebook Local Search offers business reviews, maps, photos, and the ability to call a business directly from the app

For now the name change has appeared on iOS, but not on the Android app or the Facebook mobile website.

As you may know, Dan Levy, Facebook’s Director of Small Business, will be a closing keynote at our annual conference, “Search Starts Here,” taking place in just over a week in Las Vegas. We’re looking forward to hearing Dan’s perspective on Facebook’s strategy behind the name change and what it hopes to achieve in the local search space.

We hope to see you there as well!

 

Search Starts Here 2013

Las Vegas

Planet Hollywood Resort and Casino

April 13 – 16, 2013

Register here

 

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April 4, 2013 | 1 Comment
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What You Need to Bring to ‘Search Starts Here’ in Vegas

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The “Search Starts Here” Conference in Vegas is quickly approaching and we are just 11 days away.  Help us spread the word and let the Twitter world know you’re coming by using the #SearchStartsHere hashtag.

But before you make your way to Vegas, we want to make sure you are prepared.  Here are some things you are going to want to bring:

  • Business Cards: With an expected attendance of around 400 people and a variety of networking events, you’re going to need a lot of business cards to pass out.
  • Bathing Suit: With the poolside Strategic Exchange Session (SES) cabanas, you might want to take a dip and cool off between meetings because the temperature is looking to be in the upper 70s and 80s.
  • Lucky Rabbit’s Foot: If you have anything that will improve your chances of winning, then bring it.  You can also improve your odds of winning an iPad mini. Each time you get a friend, co-worker, vendor or business partner to sign up for our conference, you will be entered into a raffle for an iPad mini. Just make sure they submit your name and company in the appropriate field when they register.
  • Black and White, Business Casual Attire: This year’s Industry Excellence Awards theme is “A Night in Black and White.”  Come see some of the most innovative and creative work taking place in the local search space as we honor our winners with a brief black and white movie.
  • Chargers: The 4 day, jam-packed agenda is will give you plenty of strategic and tactical insight that you’re going to want to take notes on. Come see our influential speakers and workshops with a full charge.
  • Golf Clubs: This year’s conference golf tournament is sponsored by the Yellow Pages Group and will be held at the beautiful Arroyo Golf Club nestled alongside the breathtaking Red Rock Canyon in Las Vegas.
  • Cocktail Attire: Dress up and get pictures with some special guests, enjoy some food and drinks, and take advantage of even more opportunities to network during the Viva Las Local Cocktail Reception and Dinner.
  • Smartphone: The updated LSA mobile app also acts as your personal concierge for the conference. Find out who the next speaker is, where the workshops are being held or get the phone number of a company that you want to do business with, all from your phone!
  • Questions: Be ready to get concentrated access to executives and the many influential local search pros while at the conference.  Pick their brains, get their insight and make the partnerships you need to drive your organization forward.

In addition, TODAY is the last day to take advantage of our special room rate at Planet Hollywood. After today, the price will increase! When booking your room, simply use the attendee group code “SMLSA3″ to guarantee the rate. BOOK ONLINE or you can call the hotel directly at (866) 317-1829.

Register today and we will see you in Vegas!

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April 2, 2013 | Leave a Comment
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Apple Boosts Mapping Credentials with New Acquisition

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Earlier this week, Apple acquired a two-year-old GPS start-up called WifiSLAM. The geo-location space is rapidly growing with GPS technology being used widely from smartphone apps to in-car dashboard technology. What sets WifiSLAM apart is its focus on indoor-GPS.

Most GPS models use cell towers to measure location which can be about 10 meters off. When driving or walking 10 meters don’t make much of a difference but when trying to measure location inside a building, those 10 meters can be troublesome.

The Next Web dug up how WifiSLAM is able to pinpoint indoor location using multiple methods then create maps from data gathered from users:

“WiFiSLAM uses a combination of various methods to get better indoor locations. Obviously, WiFi and cell tower trilateration doesn’t work indoors. Instead, WiFi signals can be measured by any device to get an approximate location. In order for that location to be accurate, though, you have to use WiFi fingerprinting to get an idea of what the materials and construction of a particular building are going to do to WiFi signals. Enough scans in one place and you’ll have an accurate profile of a building that can be used to make a map.”

Apple quietly acquired the Silicon Valley company for a reported $20 million but hasn’t revealed its full plans just yet. Analysts are reporting that this is another step in building a mapping platform more competitive with Google’s, which already offers indoor mapping for select venues.

Imagine the possibilities for this new, more accurate technology – perhaps in the future indoor spaces like malls, shopping centers and department stores could pinpoint customer location to send geo-triggered alerts, deals, and advertisements at exact points within the venue. The company has already been offering its platform to app developers for indoor mapping and social networking.

There is certainly more to come on this and it will be interesting to see how Apple uses it in the near future.

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March 29, 2013 | Leave a Comment
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geo.to Webinar: Mobilizing Locations to Drive and Measure Calls, Visits and Sales

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Please join LSA and geo.to for an exclusive webinar presentation this upcoming Thursday, April 4.

In this webinar, geo.to will discuss the phenomenal increase in mobile local search, the primary wants and needs of mobile users, and the data that is reinforcing the importance of providing instant access to extremely accurate and timely location based information. Whether you are a single location business, a large brand with thousands of locations, a publisher, or an agency representing businesses, geo.to will explore tools you can use in traditional print, display and digital marketing to increase click through rates, conversions, calls, visits, sales, customer satisfaction and loyalty, including a new type of digital web presence for every business location.

geo.to is a mobile, local, social media technology platform company enabling businesses to make it easier and faster for customers to find, share and interact with their locations. geo.to specializes in providing an easy to use, special purpose mobile website for every location dedicated to helping customers instantly find, visit, call and share business locations when they are on the go and ready to buy.

Spots are limited so reserve your seat today!

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March 28, 2013 | Leave a Comment
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Top 10 Reasons to Come to ‘Search Starts Here’ Conference April 13-16 in Vegas

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Our conference has really come together nicely and with such great content, it got me thinking about all the compelling reasons local search professionals should come.  Here is my top 10 and while it doesn’t capture every benefit of attending, it gives a good glimpse into the relevancy and importance of our event.

10. Venue: The dynamic Planet Hollywood Resort and Casino in the heart of Las Vegas is a one-of-a-kind venue for a one-of-a-kind conference. Book your room today!

9. Las Vegas: Shows, clubs, dining, tours, shopping, gaming, golf, spas, hiking, attractions and more! Take in the great content of our conference while taking advantage of the exciting city of Las Vegas.

8. Industry Excellence Awards: See some of the most innovative and creative work taking place in the local search space during the Industry Excellence Awards.

7. Strategic Exchange Sessions: Whether you registered for an SES or not, these are great for networking and making connections with executives from influential local search companies. There are still tables and poolside cabanas available. For more info, check out our SES Brochure or contact Terri Stabnick (terri.stabnick@localsearchassociation.org) today at (248) 244-0743.

6. Networking Events: With all the networking events planned for the conference, you can catch up with old friends, make some new ones, and, most importantly, develop partnerships with the companies that will help drive your business forward.

5. Vegas: Just in case you forgot, the conference is in Vegas!

4. Workshops: The subject matter and panelists for this year’s workshops are particularly relevant.  Come learn about the latest and greatest technologies and innovations that are impacting areas such as mobile, SEO, social media and more.

3. Speakers: The biggest names in digital, mobile, social and print media will discuss many strategic and tactical topics that are driving the local search industry forward.

2. Attendees: With an expected attendance of about 400 people, our conference puts all of the biggest names in local search in one place.  Don’t miss your chance to network with this influential group.

1. Search Starts Here: Local search is evolving and so are you. Get ahead of the latest trends and be part of the conference that influences the industry. Search truly does start here…

We look forward to seeing you there!  Register today.

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March 28, 2013 | Leave a Comment
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