Knoxnews.com created one of the first efforts by local newspaper companies to sell social media services. Led by Jay Horton, Director of Advertising, the initiative was profitable within six months, with 16 new clients spending an average of $1000 per month. All advertisers upgraded or are buying premium media. Here is a break down of how the new division works. more

The (Pittsburgh) PostGazette.com's PG+, launched in September 2009. The unique membership package includes extra local coverage, access to writers and a discount club. Sports chat threads can run 400 to 500 comments long. more

With media companies looking at reselling social media, there is a great tool that is not getting enough attention: Marchex will partner to provide an inexpensive dashboard that let's SMB's monitor social media mentions across platforms. Here's a look at the new tools: more

the330, a branded entertainment site, is the brainchild of the Akron Beacon Journal's marketing, sales and online team, led by Amanda Carroll, Marketing Director. After launching on a WordPress template, the new site, owned by Black Press, increased entertainment traffic by almost 50% in the first 30 days and acquired 16 new advertisers, including the art museum. It uses a novel approach to spotlight restaurant advertisers, more

What does it take for digital sales representatives to be up-to-speed? A constant learning environment. This report aoutlines a roadmap for transformative results. Included are links to on-site resources free to members. more

Boo Coo launched on June 21 with 1700 items, mostly from employees and friends of its 300 media partners. With 80% of U.S. residential zip codes left, the question for local media companies remains: Does this model have legs? Here is a brief overview of the upsides and downsides of the partnership as we see it. more

To get the best thinking from the field on pricing methodology, we interviewed 15 sales managers of sites with at least 10% of advertising revenue from digital product and 60% sell-through rates for digital ad impressions. Here is their practical advice on pricing models that work: more

In digital campaigns advertisers are more willing to “buy the customer” with a great offer in exchange for information. But there is an art to the outrageous offer. David Fowler of AdsUP is expert in designing ads with high-power conversion rates. Here are ten guidelines to creating outrageous offers that out-perform. more

There are a variety of weather maps available for small media sites. In response to a reader question, we did a quick comparison of the options, looking at major functions, price, ability to place ads and keep a local brand. A couple of winners emerge. more

Mobile marketing has had some glitches, how to tell if a coupon has already been "redeemed" for one. Mobile loyalty marketer Tetherball has a complicated answer. Here's how it works. In-store … more