As Google takes the lead in local search, Microsoft Bing teams up with Yelp which will be a feature on its search result pages. Yelp is an online company which provides details of restaurants, stores and hotels for users, based on the opinions of users. The new service from Microsoft Bing rolls out in the US this week and will soon be available nationally.
The general manager of Bing, Mike Nichols said:
“Whether it’s discovering the right restaurant, planning the evening’s entertainment or finding local services, Yelp has emerged as a proven and trusted resource. Enabling people to do more with search involves building a spectrum of features and data that people trust.”
Google recently launched Google+ Local which partners with Zagat to provide restaurant reviews in addition to recommendations by Google+ friends. Announced in May this year, the feature can be used in conjunction with Google search and not just used by members of Google +. Zagat, which publishes restaurant ratings, was purchased by Google in September 2011. Search engine companies want to provide much more for users, from the products and services themselves to reviews.
Although the improvements made by search engines are useful for users looking for information, the changes can make some SEO jobs much more complex. Companies all over the world strive to utilise major search engines in their SEO campaign, from Chester to California. During recent weeks, Microsoft has been working on improvements to Bing, including a collaboration with the Encyclopaedia Britannica to improve the data included in its search results.
Related posts:
- Bing and Yelp in tie up to refine local search
- Zagat reviews included in Google’s search results
- Newly acquired Zagat becomes latest offering from Google
- Bing advances on Google’s personalised search
- Bing introduces social networking to its search engine
