Yelp! I Need Somebody

YELP!

Launched in 2004, San Francisco based Yelp allows members to review local establishments. Yelp a contraction on the words Yellow Pages. If you’ve ever moved to a new city or travelled you know how beneficial a tool like this can be. Yelp was one of three projects, including Adzaar and Slide to come out of, MRL Ventures. It developed out of research into the local services market. After a failed start as an email recommendation service, Yelp launched. Yelp opened an east coast office in Manhattan in 2008 and by introducing a Canadian-focused version that year. Profitability is expected in 2009. 


What makes Yelp exceptional?

The sheer breadth of coverage. They cover 22 categories from shopping, restaurants and nightlife to financial services, real estate and religious organizations.

The organized site made navigating thousands of reviews easy. There is a handy search function that allows you to specify regions. In Toronto you can search in Yorkville, the Annex, the Beaches, etc.

They’re not solely in the business of reviews. After all social media is made to connect people. They have the “Fresh List” contains recent posts and recommendations. There is a section for sales and special offers. Along these lines, there is an area highlighting events of the week and future activities in the city.

The reviews are thorough with a maps, pictures, phone numbers, price range, parking, delivery services, accessibility and much more. If you like what you read you can find all the information you need without opening another window.

Will the reviews keep on coming?

Definitely! It has been around for five years and has a track record of growth. The expansion into the United Kingdom indicates that it will be around for a long time and affirms my belief that people love reviews.

What’s in a Name

This blog is a long time in the making. I had a tough time picking a name because I was under the misconception that it could say it all in a few syllables. I’m about to finish my first semester in the post-grad PR program at Humber College. There is an emphasis on creating a personal brand and finding a niche in the vast world of the internet. Well, this is my foray into the world of niche-carving. As I thought about my personal brand, I realized how my generation favours brand name goods. A few weeks back a casual conversion between classes became an all out debate; does a friend's George Forman grill better than my Hamilton Beach knock off? Maybe, George really does have the muscle. Who knows? I've always been in the 'don't judge a book by its cover' camp but sometimes a name is the make or break factor.