Facebook Adds Critics’ Reviews To Restaurant Pages

Read original article on: The Verge

Continuing its grand plan of swallowing digital publishers and creating its own ecosystem, Facebook has started adding food critics’ reviews from to pages of restaurants. By partnering with publishers like Bon AppetitConde Nast Traveler, Eater, and New York Magazine, the social network is looking to leveraging its newfound access to editorial content into influencing the restaurant choices of its users.

With competition from Yelp and Google, Facebook’s local-search product has yet to gain much momentum. This new addition should give it a boost, while also becoming a testing ground for more Facebook-sanctioned editorial content to appear on other brand pages. While the sheen of critical validations could work wonders, brands also need to be aware of the risk as Facebook says that it will unselectively show all reviews provided by the publishers, negative ones included.

 

Amazon Officially Launches Marketplace For On-Demand Service

Read original story on: TechCrunch

Back in August last year, we reported that Amazon was starting to tap into the local services market, and now the ecommerce giant has reportedly confirmed the official launch of its Angie’s List competitor, aptly named “Amazon Home Services”, set for next Monday.

With the launch, Amazon is taking a big step to compete in the on-demand economy. Right now most services in the marketplace are focused on providing assembling or placement help for Amazon shoppers following certain purchases, but a promotional video for the site promises that it will eventually offer a wider range of professional services, including “plumbers, auto mechanics, and yoga instructors”.