Can the search engines get local search requests right?
October 13, 2003 |
Search engines are working hard to capture the local market which is currently dominated by websites CitySearch and DigitalCity, as well as the good old Yellow Pages.
When I need a local product or service, I get low-tech but efficient. I pull the yellow pages off my bookshelf. Within a few minutes, I’ve found companies that can meet my needs.
Surely web-wide search engines ought to be just as efficient at finding local commercial information! Sadly, no. I’ve always found that searching the web for local commerce results is often a disappointing experience.
Fortunately, there are signs that local search is about to get better. Overture is testing a local search product, while Google is beta testing its new Search By Location service. In addition, long-time local search player CitySearch is expanding its efforts. These developments and others could mean that I’ll stop reaching for that printed yellow pages in the future—and so might you.
Get the full story at Search Engine Watch
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