MOUNTAIN VIEW, CA -- (Marketwire) -- 09/09/10 -- MerchantCircle, the largest online network of local business owners, today announced a content-sharing partnership with 5min Media, the Web's largest video syndication platform. Through this syndication deal, 5min Media will enhance MerchantCircle's Answers service with rich video content to help answer consumer questions.

MerchantCircle Answers was launched in 2009 to connect consumers to real experts with answers, saving shoppers time and money as well as helping merchants grow revenue by winning additional business. Initially, 5min Media will supply 100,000 videos to MerchantCircle Answers which covers the most general topics like "How to Play the F Major Guitar Chord", to locally specific topics such as "Needing a roofer in Horseshoe Bay, TX". Additional videos will be added from 5min Media's library on an ongoing basis and the companies will share revenue generated from ads within the videos.

"Our video solution will help MerchantCircle strengthen the connection between local business owners and their customers," said Ran Harnevo, CEO of 5min Media. "Through this partnership, consumers who turn to MerchantCircle's site as a source of knowledge and insight will now have access to both the vast knowledge of 1.3 million MerchantCircle members as well as expert video content."

When consumers pose questions via MerchantCircle Answers, relevant questions will now generate video responses from 5min Media's library in addition to the current MerchantCircle member submissions. Click to see an example. Over the past year, nearly 160,000 consumer questions posed in the Answers forum have resulted in over 228,000 responses from the 1.3 million MerchantCircle members across the country.

"We are continually looking to enrich the consumer search experience at MerchantCircle and our Answers service is deepening relationships between consumers and local business owners," said Darren Waddell, VP of Marketing at MerchantCircle. "5min Media's rich video content is a great fit for our Answers engine. Our merchant answers will be automatically supplemented with great instructional and lifestyle videos and consumers seeking answers will get more of the expert information they are looking for."

About 5min Media
5min Media operates the Web's largest video syndication platform and the largest destination site for vertical lifestyle and instructional videos. 5min Media reaches engaged and targeted audiences of passionate consumers through its network of more than 600 niche websites, and attracting more than 30 million monthly unique viewers. The 5min Media video library comprises more than 200,000 short-form videos from some of the world's largest media companies, as well as the most innovative independent producers. For more information, visit http://solutions.5min.com.

About MerchantCircle
Founded in 2005, MerchantCircle is the largest online network of local business owners, combining social networking features with a variety of free marketing tools that enable merchants to maximize their online visibility. Currently, over 1.3 million merchants use the MerchantCircle network to upload pictures, blog, create coupons and newsletters and connect with customers and other merchants. Local consumers can find more than 20 million business listings through www.merchantcircle.com or major search engines in the U.S., Canada, United Kingdom and Australia. In addition to its free services, MerchantCircle offers a portfolio of premium online advertising solutions including search engine marketing and instant website development.

Recognized by JMP Securities as one of the "100 Best Privately Held Internet Companies," MerchantCircle is based in Mountain View, Calif., and funded by Rustic Canyon Partners, Scale Venture Partners, Steamboat Ventures and IAC. Learn more at www.merchantcircle.com.