Dex is introducing enhanced local content on new “city pages” for 60 US cities. Here’s the city page for Chicago, for example:
The pages feature top searches, recent reviews, local weather and a weekend guide. They’re also more visually engaging, which sounds trivial but I believe is important.
These sorts of content enhancements (similar to YPMobile’s incorporation of events) create more reasons to come to the site and increase the range of use cases.
July 16, 2008 at 11:34 pm
I was a little underwhelmed with the offering here. Topix seemed to have the broader concept with the partnerships it announced earlier to offer a well-rounded local portal. As far as the “weekend getaway”, it simply opened categories such as hotels- if there was some value-added content, I missed it.
RHD’s local strategy is a little puzzling. I found the Dex to DexKnows re-branding to be awkward and not the best use of their resources. (Am I the only guy who finds the DexKnows know-it-all mascot to be slightly annoying?). Finally, with their massive purchase of Business.com and putting those guys in charge, they’ve largely thrown their weight behind a Made-for-AdSense (MFA) model that highly values SEO, monetization, but not sure where customer value fits in that equation.
July 17, 2008 at 8:51 pm
I agree with Bob C especally the mascot- I just don’t get that at all. Is he like Ask Jeeves? I think they are doing this in the hope of greater SEO results rather than real value to users.
July 17, 2008 at 9:03 pm
It’s a marketing campaign that an agency dreamed up.