Cityvox

Cityvox was an early player in the French digital local search and review market, founded in 1999 by Bertrand Bigay and Michel Athenour. The platform was designed to provide user-generated reviews and recommendations for local businesses, with a particular focus on restaurants, nightlife, and cultural outings. Users could discover and comment on various venues and events, purchase event tickets, and share experiences with a community of members.

The initial business model centered on charging local businesses an annual fee to create and maintain personalized pages on the Cityvox site. However, the adoption of online advertising by small local businesses was slower than anticipated. The company demonstrated adaptability by pivoting its strategy to focus on mobile, developing local mobile sites for major telecommunication operators in France. This strategic shift provided a crucial revenue stream and kept the company afloat. In a significant milestone, telecommunications firm Orange acquired Cityvox in 2008.

Despite its pioneering status and a reported 1.3 million members, Cityvox faced financial challenges. In October 2014, as part of its European expansion strategy, the American review giant Yelp acquired Cityvox from Orange for an undisclosed amount. The acquisition was primarily a content and user-base play for Yelp, which integrated Cityvox's reviews and photos to strengthen its own platform's offerings in the French market. Keywords: Cityvox, local search, business reviews, French startup, user-generated content, city guide, restaurant reviews, event listings, nightlife guide, online community, Bertrand Bigay, Michel Athenour, Orange, Yelp acquisition, local advertising, mobile web development