CitySquares Acquires Yokel.com to Drive Purchase-ready Customers to Local Merchants

January 13, 2010; 09:27 AM

BOSTON - (Business Wire) CitySquares Online, Inc. has acquired Yokel.com, making the loudest noise in the frenzy of M&A activity that’s dominating the hot local search sector. This purchase puts CitySquares at the head of the local search industry by providing local shoppers with more tools that will drive them to the doors of local merchants across the nation.

Yokel.com is a site that specializes in local product search, a unique sector in the local search industry. Founded in 2005 by Scott Randall and Don Zereski, Yokel’s advanced software gives any website site user equipped with a search term and a geographic location the ability to find a particular product or brand in a neighborhood store. CitySquares.com’s hyper-local search capabilities pairs perfectly with Yokel’s functionality, and the combination promises to make local shopping and business boom in 2010.

CEO and co-founder of CitySquares Online, Inc. Ben Saren says, “This deal was a ‘your chocolate in my peanut butter’ moment for CitySquares. We have always specialized in promoting local businesses to neighborhood residents. Now with the acquisition of Yokel, we are able to increase foot-traffic to merchants by driving those searching for products online to their stores.”

Scott Randall, co-founder of Yokel.com is excited to see the growth and development of Yokel in the hands of CitySquares, which has grown tremendously since its start in 2005. He says, “I have always been impressed by CitySquares’ approach to local search and passion for helping neighborhood businesses. This integration was the most natural fit for Yokel.”

The local Web is experiencing tremendous growth through M&A activity. CitySquares intends to remain at the forefront of the industry through technical innovation, customer relationships and acquisition when necessary. CitySquares will continue to always keep the best interest of local merchants’ in mind when making any business venture or planning for the future of the company.

About CitySquares: Since its launch in 2005, CitySquares.com has been providing local businesses with an opportunity to reach out to a highly targeted local online audience through its highly trafficked, consumer facing website. Businesses are able to fully customize their CitySquares.com advertising campaign with SEO tools, content management, content syndication tools, email newsletters, video, offline tools, and much more. Users are able to easily find this content, rate businesses, review them, and contribute other kinds of content.

CitySquares Online, Inc.
Marissa Green, 617-830-1032
mgreen@citysquares.com