More local newspapers will shut down this year. Those still hanging on will either reduce pages or days of publication. Many will run syndicated content. The Internet started the journalism purge well over 15 years ago. Readers and advertisers no longer interested. And it’s not over yet. Covid accelerated the decline of these once great…

Frustrated by digital growth? So were we. That’s why we started Get Smart Digital. We’re all about local, online sales strategy…..that works NOW…..not sometime in the future. We’re known for blunt, yet highly effective methods that push you to run your website as a ‘profit-first’ business. First, we remove common choke-points that stunt your digital growth. Then we…

How to fix common website errors. This video features the KMIR-TV Palm Springs Website Review from July 2012.

For years, we warned against trusting Facebook and other 3rd party platforms to build a business. We watched in astonishment as newspaper execs, radio owners and small business operators thought the ‘free’ platforms of Facebook, Twitter & Youtube were a gift from heaven. These folks would ignore our warnings. Some would go so far as…

I spent 15 years as a Rock DJ in Philadelphia. Loved it. But then that damn inter-web thingy happened. In the late 90’s, I had my dream job; mid-days after Howard Stern. 94 WYSP, the biggest Rock station in Philly. That gig was so cool, that I didn’t mind filtering out the static coming from my…

What have we learned over the past 6 months of managing hyper-local news sites in the Atlantic City area? Glad you asked. Driving traffic to local news websites via social media is getting tougher. Unless you pay to boost. Even if you do, most of your followers / fans / subscribers will still NOT see…

Cities where newspapers shut down or downsize too much, see increase in government costs. Why? Lack of scrutiny over local deals, say researchers tracking the decline of local news outlets. When local newspapers scale back operations, local communities lose out. When the cat is away…. mice will play. Politicos take liberties when no one holds them…

Here’e a quick summary of best practices for those looking to succeed in the Hyper Local news & marketing space. Cut costs to the bone. Boot strap everything. Be cautious of vendors who re-package open source solutions. You will overpay. Enabling local commerce is job #1 Sharing local news and info is important, but a…

The dying legacy media. Sad to watch our former information gatekeepers called newspaper, TV and Radio bleed jobs. Local newspapers suffering sharp declines in circulation and AD revenue. They’re losing the bully pulpit too. Time to get crafty. Not much time left. Maybe the know-it-alls at Poynter can figure a way out… Of course, the…

We started our hyper local news and marketing journey back in 2007. While attending a NYC conference, speaker Jeff Jarvis asked me what my website address was. Uh-oh. Don’t have one. Even though I was trying to start a digital marketing company. You see, back in 2007, I was just getting started as an independent,…