Houston, TX

April 20 - 21, 2026

Join Speakers from Organizations Including...

4455 University Drive, Houston, Texas 77204

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Schedule of Events

April 20th
April 21st

Day 1

10:00 AM

Registration Opens

10:30 AM

Welcome

Welcome to L26. We'll get you oriented with agenda previews, housekeeping, and some fresh Localogy data to set the stage.

Mike Boland, Localogy

11:00 AM

The State of Local SEO

In Local SEO, the game has changed. While AI continues to disrupt and elevate several tech sectors, how has it transformed search? And what are tactical takeaways for the always-resilient local SEO world?

Elizabeth Rule, Sterling Sky

11:30 AM

From Rankings to Recommendations

Drawing on large-scale SMB audit data, we unpack how tools like ChatGPT evaluate and recommend businesses, revealing which signals actually influence AI-driven outcomes.

Andrew Waite, Insites
Chris Fletcher, Insites

12:00PM - 1:00PM

Lunch - (Exhibit Hall)

1:00 PM

Vibe Coding vs Production Reality

Vibe coding tools are making it easier than ever to build SaaS products with AI, but can they take you from prototype to production? We explore what it really takes to turn an AI prototype into a scalable, future-ready product.

Itzik Levy, vcita

1:30 PM

AI Agents Will Pick Favorites. The Data Shows How

AI search brings new standards in online authority and citations. Businesses with synchronized, complete data across digital endpoints get cited more. Those without it get skipped. We break it down and back it up with original data.

Javier Fabrega, Yext

2:00 PM

Vertical Leap: Local & Law

Local marketing is an amalgamation of vertical categories. And one of its top categories continues to be legal services. What are its latest dynamics, and what can we learn from them?

Harsha Chandra Shekar, CLIO
Kirby Oscar, Scorpion

2:30 PM

Break - (Exhibit Hall)

3:00 PM

Visibility in the Age of AI Search: What Top Brands Are Doing

SOCi's Local Visibility Index is a massive data dive to benchmark and exposes the top strategies in getting found online. We'll break down the top findings and best practices with a real-life brand.

Damian Rollison, Soci

3:30 PM

Location Intelligence meets Artificial Intelligence

As a local marketing subsector with "intelligence" in its title, location intelligence is primed to be elevated and enlivened by AI. What does this look like practically?

Dan Adams, Presicely
Will McEachern, GroundTruth

4:00 PM

From Inventory to Intelligence: The Future of Selling OOH

Out-of-home advertising is transitioning from a location-based medium to an intelligence-driven channel powered by data, automation, and AI. In this fireside chat, we’ll discuss how these changes are transforming the OOH sales process.

Sean Peters. Outfront Media

4:30 PM

Beyond Rankings: The New Era of SEO

Cutting through all the talk about AI and its impact on search, what are practical and tactical takeaways for local marketers. Our panelists will show us data-backed insights and Monday-morning action items.

Stuart Sherman, AlphaPros.ai
Raj Madhvani, AlphaPros.ai

5:00pm - 6:00pm

Networking Reception - (Exhibit Hall)

Houston Experience (Monarch restaurant, Hotel ZaZa, 5701 Main St, Houston)

Set in the heart of the vibrant Houston Museum District, this chic gathering offers the perfect setting to unwind, connect, and indulge in sophisticated flavors in one of Houston’s most stylish spaces. Expect a polished atmosphere, curated cocktails, and a memorable night among great company.

Nightcap: Where Conversations Continue (Hilton UofH)

Wrap the day with an informal nightcap, at the lobby bar in the Hilton, University of Houston — connect with peers, speakers, and partners in a relaxed setting designed for real conversations.

Social "Leads" the Way

Social is integral to local marketing strategies, but how is it being optimized as AI collides with everything. We examine through the lens of local marketing innovators and brand marketers.

Joe Nathan, TigerPistol
Aaron Walker, Hibu

10:00 AM

TikTok & the New Local Discovery Engine

TikTok is evolving into a search and local discovery engine, reshaping how service providers connect with customers and enabling scalable SMB adoption. Learn what agencies and platforms must prioritize to win in a video-first, AI-influenced discovery landscape.

Adam Jones, TikTok

10:30 AM

AI, Data, and the Shift Toward Unified Marketing Platforms

An ongoing debate in local marketing pits the advantages of all-in-one software versus the freedom to choose several best of breed point solutions. Has the age of AI - and the benefits of having federated data – shifted the debate in favor of all-in-one?

Jim Chapelle, Yelp
Monica Ho, Soci

11:00 AM

From Reach to Relationship: The New Playbook for Publishers

In a world shaped by AI, privacy changes, and platform consolidation, publishers are rediscovering the value of direct relationships with audiences. Joins us, as we discuss how publishers are evolving their strategies.

Ryan Kedzierski, Houston Chronicle

11:30PM - 12:30PM

Lunch - (Exhibit Hall)

12:30 PM

Culture: From People to Product

Product strategies start with the people who develop them. How can culture be proactively engineered and how can organizations set the right tone for innovation and integrity?

Jean Parchewsky, Vendasta

1:00 PM

Turning Customer Feedback into Local Performance Gains

Leading brands share how they translate insights into action, balance brand consistency with local autonomy, and use AI to prioritize what matters—driving better experiences and engagement at scale.

Rosie Davenport, Alchemer
Desereé Lopez, Caliber
Norman Furley, Summer Moon
Jeanne McDonald, Fitness Connection

1:30 PM

Main Street Meets Prime Time

Video advertising requires both production and distribution channels. The former is being democratized through generative AI, while the latter is likewise seeing its barriers lowered with CTV. How is Comcast developing a more accessible and robust SMB video channel?

Greg Lieber, Comcast

2:00 PM

Unlocking CTV for SMBs

SMBs have always wanted to have their own TV ads, but it's always been cost prohibitive and production-challenged. The barriers are now being lowered through CTV. What are the moving parts required to bring this opportunity to life?

Matt McLeggon, Magnite
Jon Moffie, Magnite
Sujatha Mamidibathula, Tubi

2:30 PM

Break - (Exhibit Hall)

3:00 PM

Keeping The Human in the Loop

As AI reshapes media buying and activation, agencies must redefine the service layer, while balancing automation, data intelligence, and human expertise.

Melissa Telsrow, Hiper

3:30 PM

From Airtime to Algorithms: Transformation of Local Media

Local media has moved beyond selling inventory to monetizing audiences, forcing a fundamental reset in how organizations approach go-to-market strategy, data infrastructure, and measurement.

Joe Naylor, 19Y Advisors

4:00 PM

Building the New Local Growth Stack

As local discovery shifts from search rankings to AI-driven recommendations, agencies and platforms must rethink how visibility is created, scaled, and measured.

Ben Norton, Uberall
Simon Lesser, Semify

4:30 PM

Automate My Ad: Reducing the Friction

Standing behind AI is another "A" word: automation. How is SMB marketing automation kicking into overdrive in the AI era, and what are the ways that it is playing out in various formats and flavors of advertising?

Ben Pashman, Creatify
Alex Holt, TangoCode
Ross Gray, Cloud Campaign

5:00pm

End of Event - Open Networking

Support LOCAL and enjoy the restaurants of Houston.