A key new directory partnership opportunity in the home services area, ServiceAlley.com, launched three weeks ago as a partnership between Teachstreet and the Washington Post. The group is challenging Angie’s List, IYP’s and even Valpak for the home services categories. Here is an outline of how it works and our recommendations. more

The Cocktail Compass, developed by The Stranger in Seattle, is a great example of an mobile app developed for a specific niche - in this case the bars and club franchise. Here's how it works. more

Many large publishers are investigating self-serve ad platforms as a way to sell small businesses- and replace classifieds - efficiently. A new entry into the field is QuickAds, a just-released self-serve ad platform from Creative Circle Media Solutions. Here's our review of the platform and potential uses. more

SeniorChecked, a directory of certified home service providers, demonstrates how local directories are evolving to serve different kinds of marketplaces. After the original business strategy faltered, a team of executives at AOL left to turn-around the start-up. Here's their plan, led by CEO Chris Spanos, to solidify the business model and take a run at the Better Business Bureau. more

A key take away from the BIA Kelsey 2011 Interactive Local Media conference is the value of deal aggregators. Once a group deal program is launched aggregators can help increase revenues. Here is a list of top aggregators for generating traffic. more

Credit card declines will affect many of the new business models that rely on reoccurring charges for small ads, directories and subscriptions. Involuntary cancellations from card expiration or replacements now result in a losses of 30% of reoccurring orders. Find out how to stop the churn. more

Most current online sales materials are, let's face it, terrible. This is primarily because local media's audience research itself is limited or national. But this is about to change. Post-Gazette.com is testing a new method of researching its site visitors that is free, from a partner called Civic Science. Here is how it works and early results. more

The healthcare industry is one of the healthiest local advertising categories. Get the biggest share by looking at best practices around the country. Find out what hospital marketers want, and to increase dollars from the cosmetic service industry. more

Sun Media Corp. is Canada's largest publisher of tabloids and community publications. In two years, it increased its sell-through rate of display advertising for four top websites to more than 80 percent, and increased prices from below $5 to $22 CPM. Here is an a breakdown of how the effort, led by Michael Christensen, ramped up digital sales. more

Setting up a Group Deal program? Find out what it will take, revenues to expect per deal, which local businesses to approach, deal parameters, how to compete with Groupon and Living Social in your market and choosing a vendor and a worksheet on the Group Deal Business model. more