Local Focus: Loladex

Today was the launch of DC startup Loladex, a Facebook application to leverage your Fabebook network for local reviews.

Trying to find the perfect spot for a first date? Need a good mechanic to check out that noisy rattle? When you're searching for a local business, what you really want is a thumbs up from someone you trust – Loladex helps you get recommendations from people you know and sources you trust.

I got a chance to sit down with the founders Dan Goodman and Laurence Hooper out near their headquarters in Leesburg, VA the other day to chat about their creation over a nice cup of coffee.

Both guys were great explaining their vision and what Loladex is all about now, and where they see it going in the future.  Nick O'Neill of Social Times and Eric Schonfeld of Techcrunch had the first reviews on the street of the product.  In a nutshell, you install the Loladex Facebook application into your FB profile.  Then search away to find that local … well whatever.  It could be a doctor, sports shop, basically anything.  And best yet, it tells you who your Facebook friends have recommended.  I like this idea in that on sites like Yelp, you are at the mercy of the crowds recommendation.  That is not necessarily a bad thing, but with Loladex you are getting a review from most likely a trusted friend.  They also have featured third party input from sources like The Washingtonian Magazine as well. 

Laurence told me that initially they looked at building it as a web application, but when Facebook launched it API and platform, they decided to take advantage of that.  However, in the future they would look to branching out from the Facebook application to a web presence. 

Like Erick said on his review, building the user base is going to be critical for them.  I think leveraging people's friends for the reviews brings a little more of a personal touch, but I think it may be hard to get people to review things in some cases.  But I hope they do for Loladex.

I did find a point Nick made very interesting, that I had not noticed, but they have limited their reviews to 140 characters … sound familiar ?  Exactly the number Twitter allows… Hmmm…  Maybe we can look for the review to be shot over to Twitter as well here soon reaching a much wider audience and pulling them back in to the application to check it out.  

Obviously being a DC startup I am totally rooting for the guys to do well.  Another success story will garner the area some well deserved good press.