CHART OF THE DAY: The Real Threat To Yelp Isn't Google...
Yelp and Google have been locked in a battle for years. Yelp relies on Google search results for a large portion of its traffic. Any tweak to Google's search algorithm could hurt Yelp's business. Plus, Google has tried to create its own alternative to Yelp through Google+. It also owns Google Maps, which is increasingly the way people search for businesses.
While Google is a formidable rival, Yelp should also keep its eye on Facebook which has also plans to take over local recommendations. This chart from Statista based on a report from Accent Marketing shows Facebook is the second most popular way to learn about local businesses after word of mouth. It's ahead of Yelp. It makes sense since Facebook is a digital form of word of mouth. But, that's not good for Yelp, which will have to fend off both Google and Facebook.
