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JupiterResearch Finds Local Advertising Will Represent A Key Battleground on the Web - BroadcastNewsroom

Jupiter Research released their survey and predictions for local online advertising growth (along with their predictions for online advertising as a whole).

In short, they predict that local is where the battle will have the msot heat.  Perhaps it’s because the Yellow Pages publishers and newspaper publishers will have finally caught fire with sales.

Perhaps it’s because the advertisers are demanding to reach the audience that relies on the Internet to find local information.

Here’s a dirty little secret.

Local online advertising is much harder than it looks.

Converting searchers to buyers is a skill that very few traditional publishing companies possess, and fewer know how to monetize.

Advertiser expectation and patience for results from online advertising are difficult to meet because the Internet does not bypass human nature of procrastinating, building trust, qualifying, deciding and taking action.

It’s important for traditional advertisers to NOT abandon their terrestrial publications, rather embrace change as a restaurant owner embraces trends.

Mad Cow disease did not kill the beef industry any more than Yellow Pages bashing will eliminate the value delivered by a high quality directory. 

However, Mad Cow did reduce consumption and some consumers forever changed their diets.

Smart publishers will provide a mix of media to deliver customers to their clients.  That includes search, display, video and much more.

The growth of local online advertising will not be a zero-sum game at the expense of traditional publications.

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Recently, and without fanfare, craigslist added a field requiring licensing information for ads posted under the “Skilled Trades” section.So what are the implications?

1. craigslist is maturing as a serious advertising platform for the skilled trades, for one. They don’t make changes to their site without a strong reason, and the reason here has probably been initiated by several state licensing boards responding to complaints.

2. craigslist is following the lead of the print Yellow Pages publishers in requesting the informaiton, but not being the police. If a poster is in violation of the state licensing board, that’s between the state and the poster.

3. Posting ads on craigslist can be an effective method for driving highly qualified customers to local businesses. I know that this isn’t a newsflash to the folks who read blogs like this, but you’d be surprised at how many local businesses have no idea what’s going on.

Hey, let me know if you like the podcast. ok?

 Craigslist adds licensing information requirement: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

vFlyer is a service that simplifies distribution of classified advertising by providing a template and distribution assistance.

It’s an interesting concept, because although Craigslist and LiveDeal receive most of the attention, there are dozens of other free classified advertising sites where a local advertiser might gain traction.

vFlyer announced that they were officially launched and were offering subscription plans for businesses ranging from $20 to $80 monthly.

They offer a personal version that is ad supported with limited features.

Some of vFlyer’s distribution partners are automatic such as Google Base, Edgeio, and Oodle. They provide html templates for the channels that require manual input such as craigslist and LiveDeal.

Ultimately, vFlyer may provide a valuable service to businesses who post a high volume of advertisements across multiple distribution sites.