Yodle

Yodle
Founded March 2005
Headquarters New York City, US
Key people
 Court Cunningham, CEO[1]
Eric Raab, CIO[2]
Services Online marketing
$163 million[3]
Number of employees
 >1,100[3][4]
Website Yodle.com

Yodle is an American company which sells online marketing, generally to small businesses. They are the #1 independent provider of online marketing services to local businesses in the U.S. As of the end of 2014, the company has over 1,200 employees, and an annual income of $163 million. The company was founded by Nathaniel Stevens, Milind Mehere, Ben Rubenstein, Kartik Hosanagar and John Berkowitz in 2005.[5] The company was previously called 'NatPal', but changed its name in 2007.

Foundation

In 2005, Nathaniel Stevens and Ben Rubenstein graduated from the University of Pennsylvania working on the online marketing business.[6] Yodle was "not going well,"[6] until a local dentist hired them and they realized the potential of marketing to "doctors, lawyers, as well as other local businesses".[6] Thereafter they expanded. In 2007, the name was changed from 'NatPal', to Yodle.[7]

Services

The company helps small businesses, described as 'local businesses', with desktop and mobile-optimized website listings on search engines, paid search advertising and search engine optimization.[8] Yodle also offers retention marketing following the company's acquisition[9] of Lighthouse Practice Management Group.[10] The company was featured in Time Magazine's 'Small Business Tip of the Day' in March 2013. [11] In an interview, Cunningham stated that Yodle's goal was to "double the value of our product every eighteen months".[4]

In Forbes's 'America's Most Promising Companies' list, Yodle was listed at 28 out of 100,[12] and was ranked 21 on Deloitte Technology's '2011 Fast 500 Ranking' list, with 8,269% revenue growth over a five year period,[13] 188% over a three year period, and 50% over a one year period.[14]

The company has offices in Austin, Texas (which led to it being called "Fast-growing"[15]), Charlotte, North Carolina, Scottsdale, Arizona, and Atlanta, Georgia; with headquarters in New York, New York.[16]

Cunningham stated in late 2012 that Yodle would decide "next year" about whether or not to perform an Initial public offering (IPO).[17] In a March 2012 interview, Cunningham said "We are highly likely to file for a public offering", but that Yodle would be "assessing this year what that timing is".[18] In July 2014, Yodle filed a Form S-1 and an S-1/A with the US Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) as one of the first steps in an IPO.[19]

Yodle has over 40,000 customers, all of which are small businesses.[20]

OutRank by Rogers

In 2011 a partnership was formed between Rogers Communications and Yodle to provide a suite of digital marketing services to Canadian small business. These solutions have been deployed under the name OutRank by Rogers and operate as a business unit within the company. The opening was announced in January 2012.[21]

Awards

Yodle won 15 awards in 2013,[22] including the Google Adwords Premier SMB Partner.[23]

References

  1. ↑ "Company". Yodle. Retrieved 6 November 2013.
  2. ↑ Taylor, Brian (4 November 2013). "Yodle CIO Eric Raab: Create positive dynamics, and hire great people". Tech Republic. Retrieved 8 November 2013.
  3. ↑ 3.0 3.1 "Court Cunningham". Yodle. Retrieved 6 November 2013.
  4. ↑ 4.0 4.1 "Is Yodle Headed for an IPO?". Bloomberg. Retrieved 7 November 2013.
  5. ↑ "All Politics Is Local, and So Are Sales Leads: The Birth of an Internet Search Company". Knowledge@Wharton. Wharton. 18 April 2007.
  6. ↑ 6.0 6.1 6.2 Fass, Allison (28 May 2013). "The One-Stop Online Marketing Shop". Inc. Retrieved 9 November 2013.
  7. ↑ Foley, John (21 April 2008). "Yodle Gets Google Seal Of Approval". Information week. Retrieved 9 November 2013.
  8. ↑ Zimmerman, Eilene (8 October 2013). "How Google's Search Changes Affect Small Businesses". boss.blogs.nytimes.com. New York Times. Retrieved 2 January 2014.
  9. ↑ Messina, Judy (2013-03-04). "Fast-growing Yodle makes acquisition". Crainsnewyork.com. Crain's. Retrieved 2 January 2014.
  10. ↑ "Yodle Acquires Lighthouse Practice Management Group". yodle.com. Yodle. 2013-03-04. Retrieved 14 January 2014.
  11. ↑ "How Mobile Marketing Can Help Your Business". business.time.com. Time Magazine. 2013-03-26. Retrieved 15 January 2014.
  12. ↑ "America's Most Promising Companies". Forbes. Retrieved 7 November 2013.
  13. ↑ "Deloitte’s 2011 Technology Fast 500™ Ranking" (PDF). Deloitte. Retrieved 8 November 2013.
  14. ↑ "2013 Fast 50". Crain's. Retrieved 7 November 2013.
  15. ↑ Novak, Shonda (19 September 2012). "Fast-growing Yodle raises curtain on new Austin operation". Statesman.com. Retrieved 9 November 2013.
  16. ↑ "Yodle, Inc.". BBB. Retrieved 9 November 2013.
  17. ↑ "Yodle CEO Court Cunningham Tells Us His IPO Plans". Business Insider. 25 November 2012. Retrieved 9 November 2013.
  18. ↑ Messina, Judith (5 March 2013). "Yodle CEO says IPO 'highly likely'". Crain's. Retrieved 9 November 2013.
  19. ↑ "EDGAR Search Results".
  20. ↑ "Yodle Blog". Yodle. Retrieved 9 November 2013.
  21. ↑ Laermer, Emily. "Online marketer Yodle expanding into Canada". Crain’s New York Business. Crain Communications Inc.
  22. ↑ "Awards". Yodle. Retrieved 9 November 2013.
  23. ↑ "Find a Premier SMB Partner to help grow your business". Google. Retrieved 10 November 2013.