Experts say that users searching for localized information are more or less taken care of by search engines already, and that search engine optimization (SEO) efforts are better focused elsewhere.

Matthew Berk, an online advertising executive writes in a column for Search Engine Land that search engine optimization (SEO) experts working to improve localized search results could find it almost impossible to place pages. Berk says that search engines have done a "good enough" job providing searchers with localized content, and that attempting to specifically improve the listings is futile.

The problem for search engine optimization (SEO) efforts on behalf of local businesses, Berk asserts, is that content aggregators like Yelp and YellowBot dominate local search listings, combining relevant content with precise targeting. Yelp features reviews and information, and while it also can feature a link to the company website, the searcher frequently finds the desired information on Yelp’s page, rather than the company’s.

However, such content aggregators can be valuable to local business in other ways, says Berk. Reading things like Yelp reviews can provide excellent insight into the way a business is perceived by its customers.

Katherine Griwert is Brafton's Marketing Director. She's practiced content marketing, SEO and social marketing for over five years, and her enthusiasm for new media has even deeper roots. Katherine holds a degree in American Studies from Boston College, and her writing is featured in a number of web publications.