Google cautiously states that twenty percent of all searches have a local intent. And Google goes on to say that they only display a map in about eight percent of the search results.

The Dallas / Fort Worth Search Engine Marketing Association, an organization that I founded a few years ago, will have a special panel presentation about local search marketing. At this monthly DFWSEM meeting, you will learn the newest techniques and developments from top industry experts on local search.

The monthly DFWSEM Meeting about Local Search, is being held on Wednesday, May 19th at 6:30 pm at the Renaissance Hotel in Richardson. You can register online at http://dfwsem.memberlodge.org.

The DFWSEM is proud to present some very respected panelists for the May 19, 2010 meeting. These panelists include Brian Combs of ionadas, Chris Silver Smith of KeyRelevance, and David Mihm of GetListed.org

Brian Combs, Founder and CEO
Online marketing expert and Internet pioneer, Brian Combs specializes in bringing measurability to marketing. In May 2009, Brian founded ionadas local to help geographically-focused companies to be found on the internet. Brian’s opinions on the future of the web and Internet marketing have been included in The Wall Street Journal, The Houston Chronicle and The SEO Bible by Jerri Ledford. He is a regular speaker at industry conferences and events.

Chris Silver Smith is the Director of Optimization Strategies
Chris Silver Smith is Director of Optimization Strategies for KeyRelevance, where he provides online marketing consulting for organic search engine ranking, social media promotion, ecommerce optimization and local search. Smith and his work have been mentioned or quoted in numerous publications including USAToday, Multichannel Merchant, WebProNews, and more. Smith frequent speaks at industry conferences, and blogs at SEM Clubhouse, Natural Search Blog, and Nodal Bits. He is also a columnist for Search Engine Land.

David Mihm, online marketing consultant
David Mihm is an online marketing consultant who creates and promotes search-friendly websites for clients throughout the United States. He serves on the Board of Directors of SEMpdx, Portland’s search marketing trade organization, as Vice President of Partnerships. David writes frequently about Local Search on the GetListed.org Blog, for Search Engine Land, and at his own blog, Mihmorandum. His Local Search Ranking Factors survey is among the most important studies of Local Search Engine Optimization. David also speaks regularly about Local Search Marketing at the Search Marketing Expo and Search Engine Strategies conference series.

The Dallas/Fort Worth Search Engine Marketing Association’s goal is to promote search engine marketing and increased ROI for companies and their websites through best practices. We accomplish this through networking, education, and promotion of search engine marketing in the North Texas area. Our members are highly skilled in the areas of copywriting, web hosting, web design, web analytics, internet application development, affiliate program development and strategy, social media, search engine optimization, PPC campaigns, as well as emerging media.

Zvents, the site where you can discover things to do, has secured $24 million in funding from Nokia Growth Partners, AT&T and NAVTEQ. Nokia Growth Partners, is the growth capital arm of Nokia (NYSE: NOK), the world’s leading mobile phone supplier; NAVTEQ, is the world leader in premium-quality digital map data. AT&T (NYSE: T) is the largest U.S. wireless company which, through its YELLOWPAGES.COM subsidiary, is also the leading U.S. internet yellow pages search directory. Zvent’s existing investors, Vantage Point Venture Partners and Red Rock Ventures, also participated in the financing.

Zvents will use the proceeds to expand the reach of its local listings advertising network, which enables both local businesses and national chains to promote their locations with search-targeted events such as sales and weekly specials. Zvents will also further invest in expanding the deployment of its successful local search platform, which currently powers a network of more than 250 media partners.

Paul O’Brien, VP of Marketing of Zvents, told me today that this is “a strategic investment that is notable for the substantial amount, big-name investors, and innovation in local search.” This additional funding has very big implications, showing that local is not going away soon; it continues to grow as people get online and look for things to do in their local communities.

Nokia’s John Gardner said, “We are delighted to have led this round of funding for Zvents, enabling them to bring their world-class local search service to the converged worlds of internet and mobility. We believe that the combination of next-generation mobile devices and powerful server-side search services will be a powerful channel to deliver local information to consumers. Zvents has found an innovative way to connect local search to the marketing needs of local merchants, offering a compelling means of driving exciting, context-based mobile experiences.”

Zvents now powers a local search for a few hundred major media partners, including MSN through City Guides. The great interest stems from the unique ability for local businesses to promote themselves online in ways that match their established media buying patterns – through events listings such as sales and weekly specials that are distributed throughout the network.

Since its founding in 2005, Zvents has built a broad network of more than 250 media, advertising, and mobile partners including: Viacom’s (NYSE: VIA.B) mtvU, Microsoft’s (NYSE: MSFT) MSN CityGuides, AT&T’s YELLOWPAGES.COM, and hundreds of local media and newspaper sites owned by major local media firms including MediaNews Group, Freedom Communications, The McClatchy Company, and The New York Times Company. Zvents is continually growing its network of distribution partners both within the United States and internationally.

Zvents powers a unified international search index for the partner network, on which local consumers everywhere can perform “what, when, and where” searches for millions of events, businesses, performers, and other activities in their areas. This unique search technology platform aggregates data via web crawling and extraction, user- and merchant-generated content, and dozens of data partnerships; and provides localized search relevance and ranking to individual media partners.

Forbes ran an interesting Zvents feature last week in their print mag and online. What I find interesting is that I didn’t realize that local ads are very lucrative and average well over $1.00 per click:

Local ads are very lucrative, averaging $1.20 per click compared to 47 cents Web-wide, but search engines have done a mixed job selling local ads and geographically targeting ads with results. Part of the problem: A third of all searches have the intent of finding something nearby, but only 7% return a location. That limits ad inventories.

In local advertising, though, most small businesses “are still spending the majority of their ad dollars the old-fashioned way, on direct mail and print and online directories. All print and online directories grossed $15.1 billion in ad sales last year; local online search spending was $1.2 billion.”

Commenting on this news, Paul O’Brien has posted some personal thoughts on his own site.

“Zvents has spent four years building a world-class local search service,” said Ethan Stock, Zvents CEO and founder. “This funding will enable us to dramatically scale the value of that service to our network of media partners, local consumers, and local advertisers.”

According to O’Brien, “What Ethan has briefly highlighted is that Zvents is a unique local search engine. Now powering for a network of hundreds of web and mobile partners, including MSN, an index that features event listings to promote your local businesses. Simply, the company enables local businesses, merchants and retailers, and restaurants to submit both free and paid listings to the network.”

From what I am seeing, MSN, Google, and Yahoo! are trying to get into Local, but they’re not necessarily doing a very good job at it. Their core is providing search results for the world wide web, not Local. We’re beginning to see companies like Zvents become strong leaders in Local Search.

Paul Levine, former GM of Yahoo! Local, has joined Zvents board of directors as Zvents continues to grow both its network and innovative local search platform. His experience with local listings will prove invaluable as the platform continues to support local business as is done offline; by way of event promotion.

This news comes amid the release of a top 20 Yellowpages.com iPhone app, powered by Zvents. The app enables users to comprehensively search local on the new iPhone G3 and local businesses to reach iPhone mobile customers through Zvents. A formal announcement has not yet been made but the app is available for download and is being promoted by YellowPages.com.

Zvents is a local search and advertising network of hundreds of web and mobile partners featuring event listings to promote local business. Using unique technology that enables location- and time-based search for businesses and events, Zvents helps millions of people find local businesses and discover things to do. Thousands of local merchants use Zvents’ free and paid listings products to submit local events and activities, thus promoting their businesses and providing unique and hard-to-find local content to users throughout Zvents.

“Zvents has all the elements necessary to build a substantial business in local: an impressive technology platform, a top-tier distribution network, and an active merchant community generating unique local content,” said Paul Levine. “I’m excited to work with Zvents’ outstanding board and management team to help fuel the company’s future growth.”

Paul Levine was the Vice President of Marketing at AdBrite, The Internet’s Ad Marketplace, where he is responsible for the company’s marketing, public relations, and customer operations. Prior to joining AdBrite, Levine was Vice President and General Manager of Yahoo! Local, where he ran Yahoo!’s yellow pages, local search, maps, events, classified, and real estate properties. At Yahoo!, Paul oversaw the launch of Yahoo! Local, grew it to become the internet’s leading local content property with over 20 million monthly users, and led the company’s local advertising partnerships and strategy.

Zvents is a local search and advertising network of hundreds of web and mobile partners, featuring event listings to promote local business. Using unique search technology, which enables location- and time-based search for businesses and events, Zvents provides users with a compelling search and discovery experience, while enabling local merchants and advertisers to effectively promote their businesses. Zvents connects local businesses with millions of monthly users in diverse categories including music, movies, restaurants, sports, retail shopping, and community. The company aggregates rich business and event information from web sites, user-contributed content, and 3rd party sources, and integrates high-quality partner editorial content with its search index. The company is a leader in local search relevance and is the main sponsor of the open-source Hypertable project. For more information, visit www.Zvents.com.

Google is partnering with Nokia to offer Google search to Nokia mobile phone users worldwide. If you have a Nokia cell phone, you will be able to use Google to find relevant information.

The Google search engine will be integrated with the Nokia Search application. This integration will start in certain markets with the Nokia N96, Nokia N78, Nokia 6210 Navigator and Nokia 6220 classic cell phones.

Google search is expected to be extended to more Nokia handset models in the near future. Nokia has plans to make Google search available to Nokia customers in over 100 countries around the world in more than 40 languages.

Nokia Search has been available on many Nokia devices for a while. But this new integration will highlight the Google’s ability to provide local search results.

Google search has been available on Nokia Internet tablets. Last year the Nokia N95 8GB became the first mobile device to fully support YouTube. Nokia Search is available on more than 40 different Nokia devices in over 40 languages and in more than 100 countries.

Apparently there were several other search engines that were vying to get integrated with Nokia’s mobile phones, and Google ended up being on top this time. Personally, I prefer to use the Yahoo! Mobile app that’s integrated with my cell phone.

There are a lot of others talking about this Nokia Google partnership:

Nokia Search, Now with Google
Mobile World Congress 2008: Google and Nokia Team Up on Search
Nokia Gives In To Google; Google Search To Power New Nokia Handsets
Google added to Nokia Search
Nokia and Google to offer Google Search to Nokia Customers worldwide
Mobile search : Google team up with Nokia
Nokia to offer Google search on phones
Nokia and Google announce cooperation (AP)

2008 is already off to a great start in the online media world, and local media appears to be getting more ad dollars. Lately, we are seeing a shift in some of the ad dollars going to new media platforms, especially with the increased importance of user-generated content and the verticalization of local media.

According to the Kelsey Group, there are six new local media trends that you should watch in 2008:

Major metro markets are leading the revolution of local media sites.
More large-market publishers will proactively begin “opt-out” plans so consumers can opt out of receiving a printed directory. Publishers have typically resisted having opt-out programs in the past.

Expanding the online-only offerings.
Many publishers using their internet sites to expand into markets, which is leading to new printed directories. More publishers are expanding their internet presence in more markets where they have traditionally not had a presence. In many cases they’re expanding into markets where they don’t plan on publishing a printed directory.

Increased multi-channel selling in interactive local media.
Publishers are increasingly using call-tracking phone numbers with variable pricing on their print yellow pages’ advertising products. Merchants and call tracking numbers are being pushed across all the media channels to increase call volume.

Rising number of vertical sellers in interactive local media.
We’re seeing a rise in the number of vertical sellers, especially in the vertical sales effort in the traditionally high ad spend categories. The Kelsey Group reports that this will include search engine optimization and search engine marketing solutions being offered from newspaper groups. Internet and vertical resellers are targeting auto and real estate via SEO and SEM. And numerous start-ups will be announcing plans to enter these categories. On the content side, the Kelsey Group expects to see MLS listings creeping into non-Realtor.com sites and higher AutoTrader consumer engagement.

A higher cannibalization of traditional media sales.
The Kelsey Group says that the “promising growth of search engine click packages suggests one-to-one conversion will be sooner rather than later. Look for sales results, especially from Yellow Pages.” Personally, I’m not sure we are going to ever see one-to-one conversions anytime soon, especially because so many consumers “shop around” and compare before they actually buy. That’s just a feature of the internet, which is something that allows consumers to do so much comparing when it comes to actual buying. And, furthermore, tracking these conversions are difficult–one consumer may go to a site and shop around, only to come back to another site they’ve been to before to actually buy. This may not actually show up as one-to-one conversions because of the tracking issues involved. But we’re getting closer.

Cautious Additions of Video, Mobile, and Outdoor Advertising.
The Kelsey Group says that we should start counting ads and look for “pentration above 5 percent” in some categories. Advertisers are cautiously adding video, moble, and outdoor advertising.

Among the trends that the Kelsey Group analysts are anticipating for verticals, classifieds and e-commerce in 2008 are an “acceleration in the print “fade rate” of Yellow Pages and newspaper circulation; the untethering of print and online usage; an uphill struggle to build independent local sales channels; more localization of national; and more use of robust ad reporting.”

Yahoo! Local and R.H. Donnelley are expanding their relationship. This new agreement gives local businesses more exposure on the Yahoo! Local and Yahoo! Maps websites. The agreement is a part of R.H. Donnelley’s efforts to distribute their local advertiser content across their own network of websites as well as the local versions of other sites.

This new agreement will cover fourteen Western and Midwestern U.S. States where R.H. Donnelley already distributes their official print directory for Qwest, which is distributed under the Dex(R) brand name. Dex marketing consultants will “offer highly targeted and valuable placement on Yahoo! Local, the most visited destination for local information online with 30 million unique visitors across its network of local sites” according to R.H. Donnelley. The local business listings will also show up on on R.H. Donnelley’s own (under the Dex(R) brand) online local search website called DexKnows.com(TM).

Dex advertisers’ listings will be show on Yahoo! here:

– Featured Listings Sponsored listings with guaranteed placement on the first or second search results pages for broader exposure in a specific geography or category

– Enhanced Listings Sponsored listings that offer the ability to add a detailed business description, photos, tagline and coupons to create greater online visibility for businesses and enhance their appearance within organic results

– Yahoo! Maps Business Listings Sponsored listings within the context of a map-based view

R.H. Donnelley connects businesses and consumers through its broad portfolio of print and interactive marketing solutions. Small- and medium- sized businesses look to R.H. Donnelley’s experienced team of marketing consultants to help them grow their companies and drive sales leads. Consumers depend on the company’s reliable, trusted, local business content to deliver the most relevant search results when they are seeking local goods and services.

Kudzu.com, a search engine that’s primary emphasis is on local business search, has won two Telly awards for two different tv commercials during the 28th Annual Telly Awards.

Kudzu.com is a local business search engine that attempts to connect ready-to-buy consumers with local businesses.

Two separate tv commercials, both of which promoted Kudzu.com’s expansion beyond its home base of Atlanta into Arizona, San Diego and Las Vegas, won bronze awards in the 28th Annual Telly Awards. The Telly Awards honor the best local, regional, and cable television commercials and programs, as well as video and film productions.

Kudzu.com currently lists over 350,000 local businesses in many different categories. Most of those categories include more detailed information, photos, maps, special deals, and videos. Visitors to the site can find over 100,000 ratings and reviews from people who have used the service professionals that they are considering hiring. Kudzu also has articles and tips that attempted to make you more informed customers.

Launched June 1, 2005 in Atlanta, Ga. and launched in the Fall of 2006 in Las Vegas, Nevada, Phoenix, Arizona and in San Diego, California, Kudzu.com is a local business search engine enabling consumers to quickly and conveniently locate the best local service providers that are the right fit for their particular home and personal needs. By visiting Kudzu.com, consumers find a comprehensive and easy-to-use directory of local businesses, providing services ranging from health care to legal, home repair to remodeling projects and vets to childcare.

The Kudzu.com web site has 150,000 businesses in the Atlanta metro, 80,000 in both Arizona and San Diego and 50,000 in Las Vegas. Many of the businesses have enhanced information such as business description, services offered, hours of operation, photos, email and website address, videos, deals and discounts, and more. To support decision-making, Kudzu.com also provides valuable and concise guides on how to choose various service providers and shortcuts when consumers have several service providers to hire at once.

Kudzu.com is an internet venture owned and operated by Cox Search Inc., a subsidiary of Cox Enterprises, one of the nation’s leading media companies and providers of automotive services.

Jeffrey Pruitt, Executive Vice Ppresident of iCrossing and President of the Search Engine Marketing Professional Organization (SEMPO) has been named to the Yellow Pages Association’s (YPA) Local Search Guide Advisory Board.

YPA, the trade main organization of the print and digital media industry (valued at about $14 billion in the United States), developed the Local Search Guide. The Local Search Guide is an online “who’s who” of Internet Yellow Pages, search engines, and search tools serving the local search industry — in December 2004.

YPA Advisory board members are tasked with guiding Local Search Guide content which includes viewpoint columns and surveys. Jeffrey Pruitt’s contributions will help provide value: online search is becoming the preferred avenue for consumers to find the information they are seeking.

The Local Search Guide tracks industry growth and provides news and updates through company profiles of Internet Yellow Pages, search engines, search tools and vertical directories. The profiles, updated weekly, include information about company history, advertising products and partnerships. SEMPO is a supporting partner of the Local Search Guide.

Jeffrey Pruitt joined iCrossing in 1999 as the Chief Financial Officer and Director of Business Development. Currently, Jeffrey Pruitt builds and maintains relationships with top-level partners such as Yahoo!, Google, MSN. Before iCrossing, Jeffrey Pruitt spent six years at Arthur Andersen in the Audit and Finance divisions. He has served two terms on the Board of SEMPO.

iCrossing is “a different kind of digital marketing company”. Driven by customer insight, the company creates programs and engaging experiences designed to help brands be found, help them talk to their customers, and help them achieve marketing success. Founded in 1998, the company has 350 employees worldwide. iCrossing is headquartered in Scottsdale with U.S. offices in Atlanta, Chicago, Dallas, New York and San Francisco, and U.K. offices in London and Brighton. Find out more at www.icrossing.com.

Originally founded in 1975 as the National Yellow Pages Service Association (NYPSA), the Yellow Pages Association (YPA) is the largest trade organization of a print and digital media industry valued at more than $26 billion worldwide ($14 billion in the U.S.).

Insider Pages bills themselves as a site that “helps people find the best local businesses through recommendations from their friends, community, and expert reviewers. The site has more than 600,000 merchant reviews on local businesses in 30 markets across the U.S.” According to the comScore Media Metrix for January 2007, they have 2 million unique visitors every month.

Through this acquisition, Citysearch will offer over 1 million user reviews and local market directory information across more than 500 business categories.

According to their press release today, “When the acquisition is complete, Insider Pages will retain its distinct brand identity and positioning in the market, strengthening and complementing Citysearch’s growing local reach. Insider Pages will move its current operations and team to Citysearch’s San Francisco office.”