Local Search makes any small business stand out…
worldwide AND in the neighborhood

Buyers want both online and local information
Consumers look for information about local products and services on the Internet. They don’t just go to the Yellow Page directory when ready to buy—as they once did. Studies show that an astonishing 36% of searches are made to find local businesses. And about a quarter of all Internet users conducted local searches. They’d do even more of it, if the data for small businesses were more complete.

Small local businesses haven’t gotten much benefit from the widespread shift toward global and online commerce. But the combination of search engine marketing and Local Search can put even small operations on the radar screen.

A related article  Getting Your Business Listed for Local Search
  is Just the First Step
Follow it up with Business Building Methods