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This may be an unpopular opinion, but is Yelp really being slimy by pushing users to download their app? Seems to me it's more that they are being too cheap/laz

by jkchu 8y ago

This may be an unpopular opinion, but is Yelp really being slimy by pushing users to download their app? Seems to me it's more that they are being too cheap/lazy to properly maintain both a mobile app and a mobile site. Certainly not behavior that benefits their users, but I feel slimy implies that they are doing something dishonest.

apl002 8y ago
"Seems to me it's more that they are being too cheap/lazy to properly maintain both a mobile app and a mobile site." The article is talking about their financial struggles but they are too cheap and lazy to maintain multiple platforms?
huehehue 8y ago
Here's a screenshot of the mobile site: https://i.imgur.com/WDDnKJk.png https://i.imgur.com/WDDnKJk.png In the top left, there's an "open in app" button. It's not very intrusive, it's just sitting there in the header to remind you that there's an app. The rest of the website looks usable, right? Nope. Click on "open in app": redirected to app store Click on user's avatar: redirected to app store Click on "read more": redirected to app store Click on one of the reactions: redirected to app store It's dishonest because the site isn't interactive at all -- there's a huge overlay that prevents any meaningful interaction with the site. It's quite the opposite of lazy, because there's a functional site under there, they just refuse to let people use it.
- conductr 8y ago
  I don’t understand Why doesn’t google penalize them? They used to be pretty hard on links doing something other than what is expected. Maybe not anymore..
  - vatueil 8y ago
    Isn't Yelp one of the main forces behind the slew of complaints against Google? That must tie Google's hands to some extent.
- bootaccount 8y ago
  they're using app.adjust.com to force the user to get the app and track the behavior -- using Firefox and something like uBlock will prevent the behavior and block the redirect attempt
  - huehehue 8y ago
    I'm using Firefox and uBlock Origin, it still kicks you to uBlock's warning/whitelist page.
    - bootaccount 8y ago
      the only option I've found is to force desktop mode, otherwise virtually all engagement with the mobile site will redirect to the app
spiznnx 8y ago
Yelp cares a lot about app installs because web traffic is fragile. When Google ranking changes their traffic immediately changes, which is not desirable for building a stable buisness.
- dasil003 8y ago
  Feels a bit like looking for your keys under the streetlight. App users may be 10x more valuable but it doesn’t mean you can force them. There are lots of services that I will use frequently through a website but would never install an app.
lozaning 8y ago
In that case just deep six the app and let everyone use the website. Surely running just a website and a mobile website has to be less work than running a website, a half functioning purposefully neutered mobile website, and and app. They're user hostile, so slimy or not, fuck 'em.

by jkchu 8y ago

apl002 8y ago

"Seems to me it's more that they are being too cheap/lazy to properly maintain both a mobile app and a mobile site." The article is talking about their financial struggles but they are too cheap and lazy to maintain multiple platforms?

huehehue 8y ago

Here's a screenshot of the mobile site: https://i.imgur.com/WDDnKJk.png https://i.imgur.com/WDDnKJk.png In the top left, there's an "open in app" button. It's not very intrusive, it's just sitting there in the header to remind you that there's an app. The rest of the website looks usable, right? Nope. Click on "open in app": redirected to app store Click on user's avatar: redirected to app store Click on "read more": redirected to app store Click on one of the reactions: redirected to app store It's dishonest because the site isn't interactive at all -- there's a huge overlay that prevents any meaningful interaction with the site. It's quite the opposite of lazy, because there's a functional site under there, they just refuse to let people use it.

conductr 8y ago
I don’t understand Why doesn’t google penalize them? They used to be pretty hard on links doing something other than what is expected. Maybe not anymore..
- vatueil 8y ago
  Isn't Yelp one of the main forces behind the slew of complaints against Google? That must tie Google's hands to some extent.
bootaccount 8y ago
they're using app.adjust.com to force the user to get the app and track the behavior -- using Firefox and something like uBlock will prevent the behavior and block the redirect attempt
- huehehue 8y ago
  I'm using Firefox and uBlock Origin, it still kicks you to uBlock's warning/whitelist page.
  - bootaccount 8y ago
    the only option I've found is to force desktop mode, otherwise virtually all engagement with the mobile site will redirect to the app

spiznnx 8y ago

Yelp cares a lot about app installs because web traffic is fragile. When Google ranking changes their traffic immediately changes, which is not desirable for building a stable buisness.

dasil003 8y ago
Feels a bit like looking for your keys under the streetlight. App users may be 10x more valuable but it doesn’t mean you can force them. There are lots of services that I will use frequently through a website but would never install an app.

lozaning 8y ago

In that case just deep six the app and let everyone use the website. Surely running just a website and a mobile website has to be less work than running a website, a half functioning purposefully neutered mobile website, and and app. They're user hostile, so slimy or not, fuck 'em.