No more walled gardens for Yellow Media of Canada — it’s a win-win for publishers to share business listings in exchange for gaining access to search network advertising. Yellow Pages Group, Canada’s largest directory publisher, has been an innovator in this field. We’ll hear an update from YPG on the API program and explore the promise APIs hold for fostering innovation in the directory and local search space.
2. What a Difference a Year Makes SEPTEMBER 2010 YellowAPI launches SEPTEMBER 2011 50% of mobile traffic
3. Particular set of rules ('code') and specifications that software programs can follow to communicate with each other. It serves as an interface between different software programs and facilitates their interaction. - Wikipedia API – Application Program Interface
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5. 1,200 Salespeople 1.5M Business Listings Curated Canadian Geolocal Data Rich & Up-to-date Content
17. YellowAPI provides us with an trusted source for data that has already been sorted by a real human . I've used other un-curated data sources and had to hand craft algorithms to try and categorize data resulting in semi-trusted data. YellowAPI allows me to skip that entire step. -Jevin Maltais
18. YellowAPI Developers program is great because it allowed us to get up and running fast . The incentives give us every reason to produce fun and profitable web applications powered by YellowAPI. -Chris Dyck
19. The YellowAPI Developer Program is good for us as it enables us to take our application further faster than we would be able to on our own. By offering financial , marketing and technical support we believe the Yellow Pages is maximising our chances of making RendezView a success. -Jeremy Cook
21. “ YPG Making Good on API Strategy ” Enforcing YPG ’ s Digital Transformation “ YPG Teams Up With Foursquare For Venue Harmonization Project ” “ Canadian Directory Publisher Scripts an API Success Story ” “ Canada Yellow Pages Launches API - A Picture of a Modern Service ”
22. What ’ s Next More Content More Partnerships More Applications
My name is Darby Sieben, head of business development for Yellow Media Inc. in Canada and today I want to share with you what we are doing with Yellow API.
We are celebrating our one year anniversary. In September 2010, we launched YellowAPI and today, an astounding 50% of the mobile traffic is generated by YellowAPI. It’s amazing to see what a difference a year makes.
Before I get into specifics of what we have been up to for the last year, I want to provide a quick overview of an API. An API is an application programming interface whereby developers can more easily communicate information with each other.
In the case of YellowAPI, a developer will send us 2 inputs a what and a where and here is an example of what is returned. This is the stuff of dreams for developers, however, for us non-technical people it is all about the final product.
The non-technical explanation of YellowAPI is that we have created a platform that allows developers to gain access to all 1.5M business listings in Canada with millions of pieces of enhanced content. This database of content is the most up-to-date and accurate data in Canada and is maintained by the largest f2f salesforce who help us facilitate the collection of this content.
In thinking about YellowAPI we have built a platform that we believe addresses 4 key stakeholders: 1) SMBs - As the CMO for small businesses and the source to generate qualified leads for businesses, YellowAPI is a way for us to extend our advertisers content more broadly to get them more leads.
3) Data Partnership - Starting with Twitter last year and FourSquare this year, YellowAPI is actively participating in mapping the IDs of our venues to the venues of other data platforms. This mapping of venues will allow developers to tap into mulitple APIs to create even more robust applications.
3) Data Partnership - Starting with Twitter last year and FourSquare this year, YellowAPI is actively participating in mapping the IDs of our venues to the venues of other data platforms. This mapping of venues will allow developers to tap into mulitple APIs to create even more robust applications.
4) Consumers - By making available all the SMB content available in Canada and the data partnerships to enable developers to create more robust applications, we believe that consumers will ultimately benefit as more and more applications are built to service their specific needs on web and mobile.
We launched YellowAPI in September of last year. 1/2 of the traffic is coming from mobile applications We have issued over 1000 developer keys There are over 30 applications live in the marketplace We generate millions of searches and more importantly qualified leads for our advertisers
We have expanded or launched a number of major partnerships with players such as Poynt, Where, CBC.
We power Yahoo Mobile Searches in Canada in which all local queries pull from YellowAPI.
We have seen our data being used large national brands (IAMS pet food) where they are using YellowAPI to incorporate local data such as find a pet store or veterinarian into their advertising campaigns. This is creating higher engagement with users.
We have started the process of mapping venue IDs with Twitter and FourSquare and currently in the process of mapping a number of other venue IDs from other services to house in YellowAPI.
We have actively been involved with the tech community in Canada, sponsoring hack events across Canada where top developers coming together to see what they can build over a weekend.
We have also launched a developers program. This program is our way to help out developers to bring their applications to market. There are 3 key benefits for developers: 1) financial, creative and technical support 2) co-marketing, press release, social media posts to help stimulate downloads, traffic and usage 3) potential revenue streams for leads to SMBs 1) financial, creative and technical support 2) co-marketing, press release, social media posts to help stimulate downloads, traffic and usage 3) potential revenue streams for leads to SMBs 1) financial, creative and technical support to bring their creations to life 2) co-marketing, press release, social media posts to help stimulate downloads, traffic and usage 3) a potential revenue stream for lead generation to SMBs as well as introduction to our local display ad network
Some examples of applications in our developer program: Reserverly - Quick online restaurant reserverations! Enter basic information in Reserverly! The app will calls your chosen restaurant and the system will send you a confirmation SMS!
FinishMyBasement - FMB uses the YellowAPI dataset to pull the contractors and materials venders into an easy to use package to help Home Owners finish a basement renovation project.
Rendez-View - RendezView allows two people to find the perfect place to meet. Simply input both peoples locations, how far each person is willing to travel and the name of the kind of place they would like to meet in. Rendezview will then make suggestions on where to met that works for both people.
Flush-Finder - application to help you find a washroom in a hurry. Interesting story on the last application. Our Director of YellowAPI built this application at the HackMTL event. He builds applications at hack events across North America and recently was one of the over 100 hackers at TechCrunch Disrupt. It was through these hack events that he was exposed to YPG and we were exposed to him. He loved what we were doing so much that he decided to join us.
Over the past year, YellowAPI is one pillar in YPGs digital transformation. Part of transformation was rebranding us to be an innovative, forward thinking firm, who is actively involved in moving the local eco-system forward in Canada. We are expanding our coverage in areas that normally would never have covered Yellow Pages Group such as ReadWriteWeb, Programmable Web and TechCrunch. Greg Sterling probably has said it best - "YPG Making Good on API Strategy".
What coming next: - more enhanced data on more SMBs Canada - new available data sources such as residential, classified listings, geolocalized deals including DOTD, Coupons, Flyers and products - more venue mapping partnerships - more live applications
Lastly as a parting thought, as we continue to look for more ways to service a) SMBs, b) developers, c) data partnerships and ultimately d) consumers we think we have the foundation of a solid strategy that creates a truly win-win scenerio for all stakeholders, I would like to invite you get involved with us.