MSN and the City

Microsoft has overhauled its MSN City Guides online destination providing users with a range of enhancements better suited to connect them with locations, businesses, and events across US cities. MSN City Guides is a local offering from the Redmond company tailored specifically to the US market. The main aspect of the evolution of MSN City Guides is that the service is now designed to go well beyond MSN and integrate Windows Live and Facebook. Over 5,000 cities in the United States have been reviewed, with the content available to users immediately.

“The new MSN City Guides puts city life at your fingertips,” promised Scott Moore, U.S. executive producer, MSN. “All the information you need about a city or neighborhood is there — easy to find, easy to use, easy to share. Our goal is to deliver the best resource for navigating U.S. cities, whether you’re a die-hard local or just visiting.”

Users already familiar with the service will notice that Microsoft has overhauled the design of the website. The redesign is focused on providing a location aware user experience, as it comes with customized themes adapted to the most important 30 US markets. Another important addition is Live Search Maps. MSN City Groups now offers by default not only details on a certain destination but also a map in Virtual Earth, complete with options such as Aerial or Bird's Eye.

The service also allows users to search by ZIP code and to personalize their profile page once they sign in with their Live ID. But in the end, Microsoft is attempting to build a community of users, and this is done through the integration of Facebook and through rewarding contributors to the website with a reputation score.

“We believe the industry has only scratched the surface of this key category, which is relevant to everyone online,” Moore said. “Delivering a rich, relevant and compelling local offering that consumers care deeply about is a great opportunity for MSN. People want this information, and we’re going to keep working on new and innovative ways to give it to them.”