Facebook Launches Access To Restaurant Menus Via SinglePlatform

Going up against Google, Yelp, and other local information leaders, Facebook is rolling out easy access to restaurant menus.

Using SinglePlatform from online listings service Constant Contact, restaurants can now upload menus and other relevant info directly to their Facebook Pages.

If a restaurant owner already uses SinglePlatform, their menus will automatically be added to their Facebook Page.

More broadly, “Facebook wants to help people decide their next meal,” a company spokesperson said on Thursday.

The social giant is clearly angling for a greater share of the local information and advertising market, which continues to propel leaders like Yelp to new heights.  

In April, Yelp reported a 66% increase in revenue to $76.4 million in the third quarter. The local ratings and reviews service said active local business accounts in the quarter grew 65% year-over-year to approximately 74,000. Average monthly visitors on the Web increased 30% year-over-year to about 132 million, while mobile traffic grew 52% from a year ago to 61 million.

Facebook itself has a lot riding on the success of small businesses. Indeed, the Pages of local business are responsible for more than 645 million viewers -- and 13 million comments -- in an average week, by the company’s estimate.

Among other efforts, Facebook continues to appeal to SMBs with better ad-targeting options.

The strategy appears to be paying off. According to recent findings from Borrell Associates, 83% of SMBs already use Facebook -- and that number will only increase.

“Google appears [to] have topped out [among SMBs], while the roots of Facebook just seem to be getting deeper and deeper into digital culture,” Greg Harmon, senior research analyst at Borrell Associates, told Online Media Daily late last year.

Facebook also recently announced plans to host a five-city “boot camp,” this summer. The “Facebook Fit” camps will focus on various strategies -- like advertising on Facebook -- for small businesses to improve their prospects.

 

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