SAN FRANCISCO, Feb 9 — An update to Google’s free online map service has let users become local guides who post reviews of businesses and venues in a challenge to Yelp.
Google describes Local Guides as a global community of the top reviewers who reap benefits based on how much they post about businesses they visit.
Perks Local Guides promise range from access to a monthly newsletter to being featured on the Internet titan’s Facebook, Twitter, and Google+ pages along with being sent an annual gift for “high-quality contributions” to Google Maps.
The move on Friday came as a challenge to “Yelp’s Elite” programme that rewards people for getting into the upper echelon of voices at the crowd-sourced reviews service.
Facebook last month launched a feature that automatically provides tips about places where members of the social network might be, potentially challenging Yelp and other review websites. — AFP-Relaxnews
