Thursday, February 07, 2008

Sites Converge on Local News Delivery

Google has joined Yahoo in offering local news as part of its customized news page. Las month startup EveryBlock joined Topix.net as locally-focuses competitors to the big news hubs.

It is not surprising that local sites are awakening to the opportunity of local news since nearly everyone cares about what's happening in their neighborhood. Further customization such as adding or blocking certain local news sources or broadening the local news territory should be part of the mix before long.

Social networks need to get in the game as well. Facebook, MySpace etc. should add widgets for customizing local news and events that would enable users to easily share what's happening and make plans. Getting people to talk about concerts or events in the area is a great traffic builder.

Local search should also be added as an option within the news and social environments. Local.com posted record earnings, and linking to goods and services can boost revenue much quicker than generic display ads.

By John Gartner at 08:15 AM | Comments (0)

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