Comments on: Canpages Acquires Social Recommendation Site GigPark.com, Validates Praized’s Model

By: Brian Sharwood

Brian Sharwood — Tue, 25 Aug 2009 17:38:16 +0000

There was also a great article a few weeks ago on how companies need to work with these new tools in the NY times:

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/07/30/business/smallbusiness/30reputation.html?_r=2

By: Sebastien Provencher

Sebastien Provencher — Tue, 25 Aug 2009 16:01:23 +0000

@PhilGo20 Thank you! You’re right on sentiment analysis. A few articles have been written about the topic in the last couple of days. First, in the New York Times with “Mining the Web for Feelings, Not Facts “, http://www.nytimes.com/2009/08/24/technology/internet/24emotion.html?_r=1&partner=rss&emc=rss and in Read/Write Web with “5 Ways Sentiment Analysis is Ramping Up in 2009″, http://www.readwriteweb.com/archives/sentiment_analysis_is_ramping_up_in_2009.php

By: PhilGo20

PhilGo20 — Tue, 25 Aug 2009 15:56:03 +0000

Nice one Seb ! Probably your best after “I saw the future …”

I see a place where a merchant would have a simple dashboard to monitor (with sentiment analysis and theme analysis) on-going conversation around his store (and competitors) and can react by joining the conversation directly, semi-automatic update of his offer on his website, digital signage network, mobile coupons.

There is clear rise in buzz around sentiment analysis and I think there will be clear value to add it to real-time search.

By: Brian Sharwood

Brian Sharwood — Tue, 25 Aug 2009 15:18:44 +0000

The translation of all these sites to cash is going to be the challenging aspect to social media. Most big media companies run as far as they can from any potential criticism of their clients, so Gigpark has a nice model where it’s just a ‘thumbs up’ as opposed to us (Homestars) and companies like Yelp, where you can give a clear thumbs down to those you don’t like.

It also requires enough content to make it valuable. Yelp is just reaching that point in Canada, and has definitely reached it in San Fran, and to some extent NYC. But monetizing a restaurant or salon is a tough game. I like a restaurant review, but it’s not a make or break deal on whether I go there. Other services are much more make or break.

By: Dick Larkin

Dick Larkin — Tue, 25 Aug 2009 14:15:30 +0000

Moving into social media is really important for the progression of the local directory publishers.

Businesses cast the wide net via print and IYP and the rifle shot of word of mouth via social networking.