Yelp Business Model Canvas: Complete BMC Analysis
The Yelp Business Model Canvas reveals how Yelp became the leading platform for local business reviews and discovery. This BMC framework analysis covers Yelp's nine building blocks: Key Partners, Key Activities, Key Resources, Value Propositions, Customer Relationships, Channels, Customer Segments, Cost Structure, and Revenue Streams.
Value Propositions: Trusted Local Reviews
Yelp's Value Propositions include authentic user reviews, local business discovery, restaurant reservations, and business advertising tools. This local focus differentiates from global platforms in the Google Business Model Canvas and the hospitality focus of the TripAdvisor Business Model Canvas.
Revenue Streams: Local Advertising
Yelp's Revenue Streams include local advertising, business page upgrades, Yelp Reservations, Yelp Guest Manager, and transaction-based services. This local ad model competes with Google Business and differs from the e-commerce transactions in the DoorDash Business Model Canvas.
Customer Segments in the BMC
Yelp's Customer Segments include consumers seeking local businesses, restaurants, home services, and small business advertisers. This two-sided marketplace mirrors the dynamics in the Airbnb Business Model Canvas and Uber Business Model Canvas.
Key Resources: Review Database
The Key Resources block includes 265M+ reviews, local business database, review algorithm, mobile apps, and sales team. This user-generated content approach parallels the review systems in the TripAdvisor Business Model Canvas and Amazon Business Model Canvas.
Key Partners and Key Activities
Yelp's Key Partners include local businesses, reviewers, reservation systems, and delivery partners like DoorDash and Uber Eats. Key Activities encompass review moderation, advertising sales, product development, and local market expansion.
Channels and Customer Relationships
Yelp's Channels include yelp.com, mobile app, Google search results, and business dashboard. Customer Relationships leverage user reviews, business owner responses, Elite Yelper program, and advertising account management. This community approach resembles the Reddit Business Model Canvas.
Cost Structure Analysis
Yelp's Cost Structure includes sales team, product development, content moderation, and marketing. These sales-heavy costs differ from the automated approaches in the Google Business Model Canvas.
Comparing Local Services Business Model Canvases
Study related BMC examples: Google BMC for local search, TripAdvisor BMC for travel reviews, DoorDash BMC for restaurant delivery, and Airbnb BMC for local experiences.