One potential local powerhouse, Lycos and USA Networks, which would have combined a portal with television, e-commerce and regional content, officially bit the dust this week over investor uneasiness. The company is aggressively integrating e-commerce into its revenue model. Mar. 1999 Media Metrix Rather than heading straight for large aggregators of local content, users in some urban areas favor regionally produced and locally branded content. Local news and information sites often rank higher in their metropolitan area than either local content aggregators or national news outlets. Six out of 11 U.S. metropolitan areas followed a similar pattern.
Bad models say viewers, who vote with their mice.
But spending by national advertisers to reach local audiences was minimal. So, for local content aggregators, advertising by local businesses is a significant revenue stream. Since there are plenty of places to list businesses for free online and access to actual customers may be limited, many local businesses are hesitant to pay for Net advertising. And like the creation of local content, selling ads to small, local businesses is very labor-intensive. Become an affiliate of top merchants today.