Webwork - 9:53 pm on Dec 6, 2004 (gmt 0)

Anonymous user reviews have no value in my book. If there's proof of a credentialing process I might give some credence.

As a business model a review site will have a lot more overhead than a straight directory: Credentialing; Responding to negative reviews and threats of litigation; a lot more time invested and what's the value of time? The more local and targeted you get the more likely that a negative review will trigger a response and equally more likely that positive reviews will be coordinated.

In a world where click fraud is gaining ground it's not hard to predict the next stage in the evolution of review sites will be the outsourcing of favorable reviews.

These are just a few of the considerations. This is easier in concept than in practice as you flesh out the model. If you truly are 'a local' then it might be a game to play but if you are an entrepreneur it will be a bit more of a challenge.