Local Yokel: the Future of Search

Research firm Kelsey Group is blowing the whistle on the
local-search market, saying that it will hit $13 billion in 2010. Two years ago
it was at a mere $3.4 billion – or a glint in the marketer’s eye, you might
say.

So it goes in this Ad Age article
which explores the multiple possibilities surrounding local search. Admitting
that the actual implementation of the system is “beguilingly difficult,”
Fredrick Marckini, founder of search-engine-optimization firm iProspect,
reveals that creating an efficient local search campaign is going to be a
serious challenge. “It looks simple, but it turns out to be really
complicated.”

Yes, yes.

Rome wasn’t built in a day. Well, the big search guys are already up on it. They
(Google, Yahoo, MSC, and Ask.com) been working on geographical targeting,
limiting search by city or metro area, but haven’t yet zeroed in on users who
are within say, a quarter-mile of the merchant. They’re also dealing with lack
of information. Listings, hours, driving directions, etc. are easily obtained
from big retailers, but smaller businesses are tricky little guys who elude
their crawlers. Also, in terms of user-generated content and reviews,
categories outside of the usual restaurant, bar, and boutique reviews are few
and far between.

Back to Rome.  I’d like to take a minute to suggest a thesis topic for some struggling
American sociology student who has not found their truly amazing and “original”
idea. Chew on this: the need for automated local search system is an
intrinsically American problem. Many other countries are composed of such
highly localized communities with in-depth knowledge of their own history,
residents, traditions, and economy, that the concept of local search might not
even exist. Looking for the best place to buy organically grown kale? Eh, my
boy Giuseppe’s wife’s cousin has a farm, che bello, and his stand is next to
the tabacchi off of what used to be Via
Castiglia but the sign got knocked over, but just turn right at the bike shop, which
by the way, just got in some comfortable seats that your parts will thank you
for tomorrow. I can’t even begin to tell you how many “local searches” I made
in Asia, too, began with “Well…” and ended with a
serendipitous surprise.

Wow, I just got really distracted by the organic kale and subsequent journey it took me on. But really, to make a point, that is the point. We fear distraction. No, I take that back. The sheer volume of forwarded "distractions" like this one is proof enough. No, we fear uncontrollable distraction (but not as much as we fear uncontrollable irregularity, of course). American culture is inherently selfish in nature – we want what we want, and how we want it – and it is also extremely efficient, perhaps because of that. Local search is, in fact, going to blow up, not only because we are creatures of habit, creatures of personal taste, but because we are also creatures of convenience.

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