Citysearch Rolls Out Mobile Search for Business Listings

Citysearch, a local search, directory and media company belonging to Interactive Corp., is taking the wraps off CS411, a new text-based mobile search solution that helps users find local businesses. In practice, users send their search query (which can be the name of a business or the type of business, together with the city or zip code) to a shortcode (in this case CS411). The request will return up to four text results to the user’s phone, complete with names, phone numbers, addresses and Citysearch ratings of local businesses. The CS411 service includes sponsored search results in which a marketer’s name appears at the bottom of the screen showing business listings. The next phase of development for Citysearch in mobile search will involve GPS-related services. The service is one in a long line of mobile search services that have harnessed SMS to deliver results. The jury is out on whether users will flock to SMS search, particularly since there are easier ways to find local businesses and what’s on around town (such as the local mobile search service schemes offered on portals from the likes of Orange and Vodafone), but it does have its place in the mobile search mix – particularly in the US where it’s already a dominant search scheme.

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