Search Neglects Local

Local advertising has been slow to grow, and I say search engines are to blame. While many folks search online to shop online, most do not, but are looking for the best place to buy something, be it local or otherwise.

Local ads are less than 8 percent of the online advertising spend, according to eMarketer. Why? The search engines aren't doing enough to promote local shopping. Google doesn't have the local search option on its homepage, which is unlike MSN, Yahoo, and Ask.

Also, when consumers type in a category and location, they should be given an option for the local store, which Yahoo and MSN do. Consumers should be able to compare local versus online purchase prices, and let the best store win.

While the other search engines and yellow page directories are useful for local search, Google is the first place many people go, and it needs to step up.

Found via Adotas.