Mar 20, 2020 - Economy

Yelp to give $25 million to help local businesses survive the coronavirus slowdown

Ina Fried

Many local restaurants and bars have closed, and laid off most or all of their workers. — Photo: Jeremy Hogan / Echoes Wire/Barcroft Media via Getty Images

Yelp announced Friday a program that will provide $25 million, primarily in the form of free advertising, to small businesses that make it through the coronavirus pandemic.

Why it matters: Small businesses have been hit especially hard amid the near shutdown of public life — but so, most likely, have companies like Yelp that depend on such businesses.

Facebook, which also gets a significant amount of advertising revenue from small businesses, announced its own $100 million program earlier this week, also aimed at giving free advertising to small businesses.

What's next: Yelp said this is just a start. "We're continuing to explore ways we can do more to support local businesses, and our teams are also working with our regional and national clients to ensure we are supporting them during this period."

Go deeper: States order bars and restaurants to close due to coronavirus

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Yelp to give $25 million to help local businesses survive the coronavirus slowdown

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