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Online Reputation of Small Businesses Impacted More By User Generated Content than Own Websites

Mar 22, 2011
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Marchex will discuss survey findings and the impact on small businesses at 2011 SES Conference

SEATTLE, WA – March 22, 2011 – Today, Marchex, Inc. (MCHX) announced that an internal performance analysis of small business search results showed that online consumer reviews and social network sites have a greater impact on the reputation of a small business than its own website. Marchex analyzed the search results from approximately 150 small businesses and found that more than 80% of search results did not point to the websites of these small businesses.

As one of the leading providers of small business marketing products, Marchex conducted the analysis among small businesses across the Northeast U.S. The analysis came from businesses that rely on customer reviews such as restaurants, travel, legal, beauty, plumbing and automotive. The analysis showcases the growing importance of user generated content across social and local websites in driving revenue for small businesses. 

“Marchex has seen how consumer reviews are impacting the bottom line of our small business customers, and we wanted to highlight how big the impact really is,” said Ryan Fritzky, Director of Small Business Product Development at Marchex. “While we offer a product to help small businesses manage their reputations online by understanding where their business is mentioned across the web and in consumer reviews, we thought it was important to communicate to small businesses about where to allocate their time, attention and precious resources online.”

The Marchex Reputation Management product serves as a highly affordable online product for small businesses in a wide variety of industries that are impacted by user-generated content. The Reputation Management product compiles location-specific reviews, mentions and business listings from across the thousands of Marchex partner sites so that businesses can monitor and measure what customers are saying about them. The product also facilitates communication between small businesses and their customers.

“Small businesses are facing significant resource constraints in today’s economy so Marchex is focused on providing them the tools they need to improve their online reputation and improve their bottom line,” added Fritzky.

Mr. Fritzky will discuss the analysis and other issues on behalf of Marchex at a panel discussion at the 2011 SES Conference in New York. The SES panel will be held on Thursday, March 24 at 10:45 a.m. The panel is called “Local + Social: the Future of Promotion.”  http://www.searchenginestrategies.com/newyork/agenda-day3.php

The Marchex Reputation Management product is available through regional and local partners in the U.S. and Canada. 

About Marchex:

Marchex’s mission is to unlock local commerce globally by helping advertisers reach customers wherever they may be – in mobile, offline and online channels, including on our own local and category websites.

Our performance-based call advertising products, the Marchex Pay-For-Call Exchange and Marchex Call Analytics, are reinventing how businesses acquire new customers through the phone. Our award-winning Small Business Marketing products empower local businesses to efficiently monitor their online presence, communicate with their customers, and acquire new ones. Every day, our products support tens of thousands of advertisers and partners, ranging from global enterprises to local businesses.

For more information about Marchex (NASDAQ: MCHX), please visit www.marchex.com.
For further information, contact:

Trevor Caldwell
Marchex Investor Relations
Telephone: 206.331.3600
Email: ir@marchex.com

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