Trusted Places blog series II
This is post II in an OB series on TrustedPlaces; a people’s local guide to original and undiscovered bars, excellent restaurants and traditional pubs, specialist food shops and hidden parks that constitute the hidden gems in cities like London. Read more about what TrustedPlaces in our previous post.
What is the business model?
TrustedPlaces has developed a very exciting and diversified business model that can deliver both local and global advertising campaigns for businesses and value added services to its members.
We draw both on the growing online advertising market, particularly local online advertising and allow businesses that have been reviewed positively by the community to promote their service.
Local businesses can deliver targeted offers to TrustedPlaces’ members who live or work within the vicinity of these businesses. Relevant brands can target an audience within the context of their product by traditional advertising or specific sponsorship.
Membership onto TrustedPlaces is free. In Q2 2007 we’re going to be launching a series of premium value added services to our members. These services will provide them with special offers, enhanced online experience, and the ability to access TrustedPlaces content on the move.
2 Responses to “Trusted Places blog series II”
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but how to you keep the ‘neutrality’ of member ratings? and also: if you only let positively rated businesses (bars etc) advertise what is their incentive to do it, if they have gotten visibility already?
Hi Christian, thank you for your question. Our members rate places they have been to in an honest manner. The community acts as a safe guard to ensuring that members act in a way that is inline with the community spirit of the site and business do not attempt to trick our members. This has worked very well on TrustedPlaces and other sites that depend upon their community.
For businesses to advertise onto TrustedPlaces they would need to have received a minimum of a 3 stars rating. Having received a 3 stars rating doesn’t necessarily guarantee them increased visibility as the majority of reviewed places are ones with positive ratings. By advertising these businesses will have the opportunity to increase their visibility. Hope that answers you questions if you have any other ones feel free to ask them