Marketing News: localpeople extends successful hyperlocal sites with launch of iPhone application
News Release from:
localpeople
16/02/2010
hyperlocal, social network, iphone app, local news, dmgt, localpeople, Roland Bryan,
- New iPhone app launched for users to access local news and information on the move
- 70 websites are now live providing communities an online destination for all their local information and networking needs
- Initial site launches demonstrate strong traffic growth and user engagement, showing a clear blueprint for future success
London - February 16th 2010 – localpeople, a network of hyperlocal community sites backed by AND[1], the digital consumer division of DMGT[2], today announces the launch of its new iPhone application to complement the 70 local websites launched in its initial phase of roll-out. The beta sites, which launched in July 2009, have proved to be extremely popular in local communities throughout the South West and South East of England, including London. In the six months since launch, localpeople users have generated over 30,000 pieces of content across the platform and posted thousands of reviews of local shops, bars, restaurants and other local services. The network reached 25% of the local online households in the catchment areas served by the sites in January. To complement the websites, localpeople has also launched a dedicated iPhone application which provides users with targeted local content whilst on the move. For most of the localpeople communities this is the first app dedicated to providing news and information services to these towns. The free-to-download application replicates the most used features of the websites, allowing users to access local news from each of the communities locapeople serves, as well as information on local restaurants, bars, and hotels, as well as local tradesmen, shops and services. A ‘top places nearby’ feature also enables locals and visitors to the localpeople communities to search for the most popular local attractions by area. As with the websites, all the content is provided by the people who know the community best: the local residents. Roland Bryan, Managing Director of localpeople, says: “The success of the initial launch phase in terms of traffic and engagement show that there’s real desire amongst local communities for this type of platform. The launch of the iPhone app further extends the service and adds value to the overall localpeople offering, and is also the first mobile app to deliver dedicated news and information to these communities.” “The initial launch phase has enabled us to demonstrate the market opportunity for these websites and to fully understand the response of local residents and businesses to our unique proposition across different communities,” he adds. A combination of local marketing events and social media engagement by the team of community publishers – responsible for overseeing the sites and contributing some content – have supported the continued growth of user database. The localpeople app can be downloaded for free at: http://itunes.com/app/localpeople The sites can be found at: http://www.localpeople.co.uk Follow Local People on Twitter: http://twitter.com/thelocalpeople [1] Associated Northcliffe Digital [2] Daily Mail General Trust
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