Microsoft’s Bing Partners with Yelp to Compete Google
Microsoft, the software giant, collaborated with the business review firm Yelp to pour its online reviews and other local businesses to Bing Search engine in a move to vie against Google and Apple. The announcement was made on Thursday, and from now on, people using Bing can find online reviews about local merchants with the help of Yelp.
The deal between the two companies comes after Google introduced a new feature that delivers restaurant ratings from Zagat, while on the other hand, Apple introduced its own mapping software in WWDC, offering a similar function. Meanwhile, to increase traffic, Google also waved off the online fees that Zagat used to charge from its viewers.
Google’s main purpose behind this acquisition is to highlight Zagat in its search results on priority basis while diverting traffic from Yelp. Partnering with Bing makes sense for Yelp because both the companies have the same enemy – and this partnership will eventually help them attract more advertising from local merchants.
“Yelp has become the leading destination for local information and we’re thrilled that established brands like Bing recognize the value that Yelp communities bring to the local search experience,” said Jeremy Stoppelman, chief executive and co-founder of Yelp.
“We are excited to see how Bing fans respond to this new local search experience powered by Yelp.”
“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,” said Mike Nichols, general manager of Bing.
“Enabling people to do more with search involves building a spectrum of features and data that people trust, and teaming up with Yelp is another important step in helping Bing deliver great value to customers.”
Meanwhile, Microsoft and Yelp also filed a lawsuit against Google. According to them, Google is trying to promote its own services in its search results to stifle competition. However, accusations are still under investigation in Europe and the U.S.
