Local video production provider Mixpo today emboldened its pipeline into the elusive small-business marketplace by announcing four new channel partners. These include a number of traditional media channels that have online local search destinations, such as PegasusNews, SiliconValleyOnline and KGO Radio (full list here).

The deals will bring Mixpo’s self-serve video creation, placement and tracking platform to these companies’ local advertisers. Local video is heating up,  but it’s difficult (as it is in all ad sales) to reach the large but fragmented SMB segment without channel partners.

Channel partnerships like this are the name of the game for local video vendors and self-serve platforms. Not only do they offer a single point of entry to many SMBs (via the partner’s sales channel), but they also provide locally targeted ad inventory through which to distribute video. Otherwise these vendors are limited to distributing clients’ video on YouTube, search engines or their own domains.

There is a growing segment of local video plays and we could see shakeout soon. The survivors will be the ones that are able to sign deals like this (and deliver on them). Mixpo has had success in this regard with a number of partners in the real estate vertical.

Joining them in the pack are TurnHere (many IYP and vertical partners), AdFare (longstanding newspaper partnerships), Spot Runner (vertical channels and direct sales), StudioNow (Citysearch, Clear Channel), Jivox (national ad network) and a few others.