Ep 115: Yelp for sale? Google Merchant Center Next, Does Bard offer an alternative to search?
Activist investor suggests Yelp sale, Google Merchant Center Next - a cool product without market? Bard's Journey as an Alternative to Google Search
Segment 1: Activist investor suggests Yelp sale
Eric Semler of TCS Capital Management criticizes Yelp for not delivering enough value to its stockholders. He suggests that Yelp should sell itself to Angi, citing Yelp's strong services business and potential for synergy in a merger.
While Yelp has found some success in its services business and transitioned to a SaaS model, there are concerns about its long-term viability. Will Yelp survive as a stand alone company?
Segment Reference Articles: Yelp jumps as activist investor seeks sale or merger with Angi
Segment 2 starts 13:16 - : Google Merchant Center Next - a cool product without market?
Google's Merchant Center can be likened to an e-commerce content management system with a focus on generating AI-driven ads. It allows businesses to create products and easily gather information from their websites.
Clearly Google is investing heavily in SMB local inventory and this contrasts with the disaster that is GBP. But while Google's Merchant Center appears to be a commendable product, the challenge lies in identifying its precise target customer. Without a clearly defined target audience, it becomes difficult to determine the success of the product.
Segment Reference Articles
Google Ads: AI Everywhere All at Once
Segment 3 Starts 21:34 - Bard's Journey as an Alternative to Google Search
Bard has been positioning itself as an alternative to Google, offering users an alternative search experience. While it is still a work in progress and may not be at par with Google's capabilities, Bard shows promise for the future. As Bard continues to integrate various components of Google, such as the knowledge graph and maps, it aims to become a robust alternative search engine.
Segment Reference Articles