I completely agree with you about Google’s local business listing being a good marketing tool for the local business. Certainly this is the first time the Internet has become a better marketing tool to reach the local consumer through web searches and mobile searches.

What I am most concerned about are small and local businesses having to contend with multiple websites when it comes to their local listing. What I’m really talking about are “time resources”.

Afterall, there are over 60 websites in four different categories specifically geared towards local listings. How can a local or small business have the time resources to cover this space.

Even if you made a conscious decision to not manage all 60, there are well more than Google, Yahoo, Bing, and Ask. The space goes to Local.com (they went public), Yelp, Merchant Circle, and many others.

Consumers will be the ones deciding which of these local listing websites they will go and post their experience through consumer reviews. This adds to the burden that no one single local listing website will do the trick.

One argument I have is about “getting listed” is not the real services needed. The local business still has to claim, update and maintain their local listing at multiple local listing websites.

“Getting listed” is an admirable starting point, but it will not address the long term need of the local business and their local marketing efforts.

Something we recently read at KillerStartUps are companies that are offering a low cost service to update then manage these listings for companies. You can read about this at KillerStartUps here:

http://www.killerstartups.com/Search/smartfindslocallisting-com-be-found-online

It is a changing world and the local business will benefit. There will be some adjustment to this space needed.

Good information from your post and hopefully varying opinions help give perspective.