More and more people are searching using a ‘local flavor’ and more are searching with their mobile phones and the data is overwhelmingly in favor of people actually making purchases following a locally flavored search.
This makes it pretty important to make sure that you are favorably and highly ranked when anyone performs a keyword search relevant to you!
Google has also changed it’s search results with what is called the ‘Enhanced” listings that actually list the local ‘Places Page’ above the organic search results. This change that Google and others have made is a vote in favor of the small and local business person.
You can take advantage of this and ‘rise above the noise and get found by the local crowd’, if you correctly setup, optimize and manage your local listing.