Google appears likely to purchase local review site Yelp for 1/3 of a YouTube – $500 million – according to TechCrunch and confirmed by the New York Times. Is this desirable for the users that made Yelp what it is today?
Yelp was founded by members of what’s called the PayPal mafia, geeks made wealthy by the sale of PayPal to eBay, and funded initially by the same. It’s been hounded by ugly, if unprovable, allegations of extortion and is both loved and hated by the businesses it reviews. It’s loved none the less by users as a great place to learn about a business before you patronize it. How do users feel about the idea of their Yelp becoming the next Google property? Check out the opinions below and share your own in our poll or comments.
Below are some of the most interesting opinions we’ve been hearing about this deal, first from tech geeks and then from people in local Yelp forums around the US.
“No! I love Google, but they need competition. Buying Yelp moves Google one step closer to becoming yet-another-Microsoft.” -Kathy E. Gill, digital media educator at the University of Washington
“[I] don’t care one way or another if Google buys @Yelp but not sure (like Dodgeball & Jaiku) that they will do a good job integrating.” – Aaron Strout, CMO of Powered, Inc.
“The combo Aardvark [another rumored Google acquisition] + Yelp would be killer in the local search space because of the consumer purchase process.” -Sebastien Provencher, Praized Media
“Yelp has success with interacting with its most active members locally, and I can’t see Google continuing that. Would be bad move.” – Drew Olanoff
“Maybe if Yelp were acquired by the GOOG it would become reliable again. Yelp’s been hijacked by extortionists.” – Clay Newton, UX designer
“No. Yelp is a community that doesn’t need Google as their overlord.” -Joseph Manna, InfusionSoft
From Yelp Forums
“I’m not sure how I would feel about a Google owned Yelp. One more step towards complete domination of the web.” -Chris “Walking Toxicology Report” L., Portland, Oregon
“Isn’t it the dream of every small internet startup to be swallowed up by a huge mega-conglomerate? Congrats, Yelp. Now I’m wondering how Google will destroy this site once they buy it…. ” -W.C. San Francisco, California
“Anyone ever look at the comments on youtube videos? That is what is gonna happen here.” -Devon “Completely Appropriate” F. San Francisco, California
“If this happens, I’m deleting my profile.” -Eric “Hypeman E.” W. San Francisco, California
“Yelp is about to get the sSHIT regulated out of it. goodbye shadiness.” -Joseph “the finest hat I’ve ever known” F. San Francisco, California
“Wouldn’t be surprised if it happens. Google is always on top of the most useful things around. Maybe they’ll finally create a good Android app :)” -Irena “World Traveler” C. New York City, New York
