Force SEO

In early 2008, my team and I had the opportunity to work closely with the very talented Citysearch team to redesign the Citysearch web experience and to take local neighborhood search to the next level.

As you may have read on TechCrunch the beta site’s key themes ripple through the entire redesign:

• More local : Expanded local coverage now reaches deep into your local neighborhood. It’s easier than ever to find local businesses and activities that are near to you, since the new site hones in on over 75,000 towns and neighborhoods. And the information about local businesses restores the balance among key voices: users, city editors and merchants.
• More social : It’s easier than ever to participate, contribute reviews and post opinions. The new site also provides deeper connections with social networks, starting with Facebook Connect.
• More intuitive : Streamlined search and navigation gets you to content easier than ever, while simplified registration and review posting makes it quick to get involved.

Citysearch was hard at work on redeveloping their technical infrastructure when they approached Adaptive Path last winter. Adaptive Path began working intensely with Citysearch to design the interfaces and interactions that would leverage the new opportunities available in their technology platform. The beta site represents the resulting work from the Citysearch-Adaptive Path collaboration. The level of collaboration with the Citysearch team was intense. We worked side-by-side to envision the new site and craft the new Web experience.

As the site design rolls from beta into full launch, there will be an opportunity to discuss our work in greater detail, but for the time being, I want to express my thanks to the people that made all of this possible. On the AP side, I want to thank my colleagues Chiara Fox, Lucie Moses, Margaret Shear, Peter Merholz and Todd Elliott for ensuring that the resulting Citysearch experience was exceptional, and for the energy and enthusiasm that characterized our collaboration with Citysearch.

I would also like to thank the immensely talented and dedicated Citysearch team: Annouchka Yameogo-Stanzler, David Arnerich, Eric Small, Hal Oreif, Holly Van Dyke, J.F. Boisvert, Mike Phillips, Moonie Lantion, Nils Devine, Robert Moritz, Rob Rhoden, Sue Antico, and the ever-inspired, ever-energetic Citysearch CEO Jay Herratti.

The beta represents a new phase in the Citysearch experience…one that will fundamentally improve user engagement in local content and knit together social media and local search. I’m delighted to have reached this milestone alongside the Citysearch team, and eager for what comes next.

Read more about the beta launch:

• The New Citysearch Launches in Beta, Goes Hyper-Social With Facebook Connect [TechCrunch]
• Citysearch pulls a total overhaul [CNet]
• IAC’s Citysearch Covers 75,000 Cities, Neighborhoods [MediaWeek]
• Citysearch Integrates Facebook Connect and Enters Hyperlocal Review Race [Mashable]
• Citysearch Becomes More Social and Mobile [ReadWriteWeb]
• Citysearch Rebuilt to be More Social, Local and Mobile [Citysearch]