Google Inc. released Tuesday a free tool that allows businesses to add or update business listing information, such as operating hours and addresses, that appears within its local search results.
Google, the leader in the Web search sector, said its new Local Business Center tool is available to U.S. businesses, including those that do not operate an Internet site, potentially expanding the reach of its service.
Search providers aim to have consumers use local search to find nearby restaurants, stores or service providers, like dry cleaners or plumbers.
Local search is currently one of the most competitive markets in the booming Internet search industry as providers eye potential profits from search advertising.
The Kelsey Group forecasts the U.S. local advertising market will reach $5.1 billion by 2009, with local search accounting for $3.4 billion, or two-thirds of the total. Local search advertising hit $162 million in 2004, according to the market research company.
Marissa Mayer, Google's director of consumer Web products, would not quantify the company's investment in the segment but said it had recently stepped up efforts, adding a local search tab to the Google.com home page and integrating maps and business information.
"It represents the beginnings of a direct channel into the small business market," Kelsey Group analyst Greg Sterling said of Google's latest local search announcement.
Once a relationship is established with a small business, Google can then use it to pitch advertising products, he said.
Google last year authorized BellSouth Corp.'s online Yellow Pages unit RealPages.com to sell Google's Web search ads to small and mid-sized businesses in the Southeastern United States.
Google rival Yahoo Inc. has also been investing heavily in local search and is seeking closer ties with small businesses with new tools and advertising offerings. Yahoo offers similar tools to the one Google announced Tuesday.
Analysts see both search companies making a play for the small businesses who peddle their wares with online auctioneer eBay Inc.
Some eBay sellers have become increasingly critical of the rising cost of doing business on the giant Web marketplace and are building their own sites and buying Web search ads to reach potential buyers.
