In a Twist, Google Reviews Zagat,Moncler jackets and Decides to Bite
For years, a wave of online competitors eroded Zagat’s formidable empire of quotation-mark-happy reviews of restaurants and bars around the world.Anime toys merchandise distributor
But on Thursday, Zagat found an ally in the biggest online giant of all, selling itself to Google.
The deal will unite Zagat, whose burgundy-covered guides were among the first examples of user-generated content,Nfl bears jersreys cheap and Google, which has made local services one of its highest priorities.
Terms of the deal were not disclosed, but people briefed on the matter said that Google had paid $100 million to $200 million. Tim and Nina Zagat, who began the company by compiling restaurant ratings from friends into slim surveys more than three decades ago, will remain with the business.
The deal will most likely mean a lucrative payout for the Zagats, as well as for the private equity firm General Atlantic, which bought a third of the company in 2000. But it also raises questions about how Google will integrate Zagat, whHuman hair Full lace wigsose main offerings include its popular paper guidebooks and a paid subscription Web site.
Local online advertising is an increasingly lucrative market, one that analysts estimate to be about $140 billion a year. Google estimates that about 20 percent of its daily searches are for things that are nearby, and that percentage is even higher for queries made on mobile phones.
“All of these are users wondering where they should go, where they should spend their time, so to be able to offer accurate information is important, and that’s why we’ve been getting focused on reviews,” Marissa Mayer, Google’s vice president for local, maps and location services, said in an interview.
For years, a wave of online competitors eroded Zagat’s formidable empire of quotation-mark-happy reviews of restaurants and bars around the world.Anime toys merchandise distributor
But on Thursday, Zagat found an ally in the biggest online giant of all, selling itself to Google.
The deal will unite Zagat, whose burgundy-covered guides were among the first examples of user-generated content,Nfl bears jersreys cheap and Google, which has made local services one of its highest priorities.
Terms of the deal were not disclosed, but people briefed on the matter said that Google had paid $100 million to $200 million. Tim and Nina Zagat, who began the company by compiling restaurant ratings from friends into slim surveys more than three decades ago, will remain with the business.
The deal will most likely mean a lucrative payout for the Zagats, as well as for the private equity firm General Atlantic, which bought a third of the company in 2000. But it also raises questions about how Google will integrate Zagat, whHuman hair Full lace wigsose main offerings include its popular paper guidebooks and a paid subscription Web site.
Local online advertising is an increasingly lucrative market, one that analysts estimate to be about $140 billion a year. Google estimates that about 20 percent of its daily searches are for things that are nearby, and that percentage is even higher for queries made on mobile phones.
“All of these are users wondering where they should go, where they should spend their time, so to be able to offer accurate information is important, and that’s why we’ve been getting focused on reviews,” Marissa Mayer, Google’s vice president for local, maps and location services, said in an interview.
