Hyperlocal business directory MerchantCircle has been steadily growing as an online network and business directory for merchants in smaller towns to advertise to consumers. MerchantCircle has long targeted its site’s features towards merchants versus catering towards the consumer, as sites like Yelp and CitySearch do. Today, the startup has launched two features to appeal to the consumer side, Neighbors and Answers.
MerchantCircle provides small businesses with a web page listing, blogging and email newsletter application, and a local business social network that focuses on connecting local businesses with each other. Since launching in 2006, MerchantCircle has attracted nearly one million small businesses to engage daily on the site in hyperlocal areas of the U.S. With Neighbors and Answers, MechantCircle is trying to appeal to the consumer side by creating conversations between consumers and their local merchants.
Answers is a section of MerchantCircle which allows consumers to enter a question to merchants about any topic. So a sample question from a consumer could be “what kind of oil do I put in my truck,” and business owners will give free advice on their area of expertise. The incentive for the business owner is that it’s good advertising. And the consumer can see the profile of who is answering the questions, which includes consumer reviews.
MerhcantCircle’s “Neighbors” creates a mini-social network around the site where consumers can “follow” local businesses for information on promotions, coupons and announcements. In order to access this feed, consumers need to create a profile.
While MerchantCircle may not be as popular in larger metropolises where Yelp and Citysearch are dominant, the startup has gained traction in small towns where the larger sites don’t have reach. For example, 50 percent of local businesses in Wasilla, Alaska are on MerchantCircle and actively engage with the site.
According to ComScore, MerchantCircle isn’t that far behind more widely known business listing and reviews sites like Yelp. In July, MerchantCircle had 7.5 million unique visits; Yelp had 8.6 million unique visits in July. Of course, the MerchantCircle focuses primarily on service busineses like plumbers, landscapers, mechanics etc. whereas CitySearch and Yelp include restaurants, bars, concerts and other listings. MerchantCircle also faces competition from YellowPages.com.
I think there are some great ideas in here! It’ll be interesting to see whether the big boys follow suit…
Great idea !
“Hyperlocal”? Are you serious? Please tell me you’re not serious. Seriously? Are you being serious?
I agree ^ Please be so kind enough to tell us how is Merchantcircle “hyperlocal” business directory?
MC is regarded as a floating, cancer-infested turd among small businesses. Viva Yelp!
Yelp’s extortionist tactics are now exposed – MC is a much more benign and beneficial platform for most small businesses.
Despite Canoe Bob’s vivid ‘giant feces’ description, the overwhelming majority of MC members, both free and paid, are satisfied or very satisfied.
I am very satisfied with MC – the company is merchant-friendly and has SO many benefits! … unlike Yelp – which allows drunk & stoned people to submit vulgar comments and “reviews” without any controls. Yelp deletes normal and helpful reviews without reason!
I’m glad their is still work going on in this space. Despite the various services out there, like Service Magic, I’m still completely worthless when it comes time to finding a plumber or contractor for a house project. Booking travel plans for a vacation around the world causes far less anxiety.
Perhaps those industries just got passed up by the internet generation, but something needs to be done about it. Perhaps this stuff will make it easier for me to ask my neighbor and finally bring these low-tech businesses in to my world?
Captured the story well, love to Wasilla reference..
This is a great idea and should help drive local consumers to the site and build a connection between the user and small business owners. Wish we had thought about it first!
Its great that Merchant Circle is focusing on the long tail, we need internet companies out there that are helping merchants and consumers outside of the big metropolitan cities. Great job guys!
It’s too bad that merchant circle promotes businesses to sponsor advertising so they can “manage their reputation”. Leena, why don’t you read up on that and do a story on that? They advertise it as PART and PARCEL of the sponsorship, unlike yelp which takes care of it with a mysterious algorithm
Great job guys on building up traffic and moving the ship towards the consumer space.
Is there a European equivalent around?
Yes, serious – dead right on serious!
Merchant Circle features are impressive. While many may be found elsewhere, only Merchant Circle offers them all on one website. Even more important to me, from an SEO perspective, the only thing that matters is results! And because Merchant Circle has a Google page rank of 8, I can tell you from first hand experience, that your Merchant Circle listing will be spidered and indexed by the major search engines.
@AndreaF – Yes, there is a similar service currently in closed beta stage. I think they will soon go public in Germany and UK.
Does anyone know how to contact MerchantCircle? I see a $34.00 900 number but no corporate email like info@merchantcircle.com
thanks
Brendan – You may contact me directly DM via Twitter (we now follow you) for free MerchantCircle assistance.
Brendan,
We have live chat M/W/F 2-3pm PST, our main email is support@merchantcircle.com, and also you can directly email me davidg@merchantcircle.com
I have listings on Merchant circle that i want in the featured area. I’ve done extensive work, look up Rynerson then enter just CA, you’ll see my listings. None, if any, show in teh featured results area. I will pay, don’t mind that, just don’t want to throw money around in areas that won’t get me in that specific area. I thought that my efforts would make that happen, but now since they haven’t, HELP!
Definitely a great addition was made. I use merchant circle primarily to introduce and enhance my clients web presence. Not to mention pushing them to 1st page on google searches.