'SFGate BayList,' powered by CityVoter, expands SFGate's rich local content with insider advice on local businesses, providing the Bay Area an unparalleled source for everything local
BOSTON and SAN FRANCISCO-July 29, 2008- The San Francisco Chronicle, a division of Hearst Corporation, and CityVoter, the leading social media platform for the insider's scoop, today announced the launch of the "SFGate BayList," powered by CityVoter (http://www.sfgate.com/baylist). The BayList enables Bay Area insiders to vote for and comment on their favorite businesses, enhancing the rich local content already available to the SFGate community and resulting in an unparalleled source for everything local.
The SFGate BayList is launching with a contest to recognize the best local lifestyle businesses in the Bay Area. Beginning August 4, locals are invited to browse, vote for, comment on, and nominate their favorites. Winners in each category will be announced after the contest ends.
Over the next 12 months SFGate and CityVoter will continue to engage the community by rolling out new content in phases, with contests occurring in each phase.
"As the Bay Area's leading online community of consumers and businesses, we are pleased to enhance our site with the SFGate BayList," said Michele Slack, Vice President, Digital Media, SFGate.com. "The SFGate BayList gives our site visitors a uniquely local resource for identifying and recognizing the best businesses that the area has to offer."
"We are pleased to be working with the San Francisco Chronicle and SFGate in the development of the BayList," said Josh Walker, CityVoter CEO and founder. "The content that users generate during the contest and throughout the year will build the value of this online resource. Visitors will come to the BayList to give and get the insider's scoop on everyday decisions-like best dry cleaners in Potrero Hill, best dim sum in Chinatown, or best place for a spa day in Pacific Heights."
The value of the BayList's user generated content is underscored by the findings of a study by comScore and The Kelsey Group, in which more than three-quarters of review users reported that the review had a significant influence on their purchase. Review users also noted that reviews generated by fellow consumers had a greater influence than those generated by professionals.
CityVoter works with traditional media companies-television, radio and newspapers-to help them successfully converge with digital media, engage and monetize local audiences, and immerse their brands into the local social experience.
"Newspapers are looking for ways to extend their traditional role as a community resource, and sell more advertising to local businesses," said Peter Krasilovsky, program director, Marketplaces practice, The Kelsey Group. "They'll be better positioned to do that by working with partners like Cityvoter, which does an excellent job with its 'best of' voting platform and its other social features."
About The San Francisco Chronicle
The San Francisco Chronicle is the Bay Area's leading news and information source and has been connecting the region with its award-winning journalism since its founding in 1865. Combined with its online home, SFGate.com, The San Francisco Chronicle reaches nearly 1.5 million Bay Area adults daily and 1.6 million on Sunday. The six-time Pulitzer Prize-winning Chronicle is the nation's 13th largest daily newspaper and SFGate.com is among the nation's top five newspaper Web sites with 9.0 million monthly unique visitors and over 73.7 million monthly page views.
About CityVoter, Inc.
CityVoter is the leading social platform for the insider's scoop. It allows insiders who know a city best to share their insight with information, ratings, and reviews on everyday decisions. By eliminating the guesswork from daily life, CityVoter helps people make the best decisions in all aspects of their lives, not just around the big events. Founded in 2005 and headquartered in Cambridge, Massachusetts, CityVoter helps leading media companies like FOX, Gazette Communications, Hearst-Argyle, McGraw-Hill, Post-Newsweek, and the San Francisco Chronicle, a division of Hearst Corporation to engage and monetize their local audience, successfully converge with digital media, and immerse their brands into the local social experience. For more information, visit www.CityVoter.com.
Contact:
Caralyn Quigley Stern
CityVoter, Inc.
617.741.3100 x150
cstern@cityvoter.com
Angelina Acevedo
San Francisco Chronicle/SFGate.com
415.777.8993
aacevedo@sfchronicle.com