I disagree.
I don’t see this trend happening this soon. Most local businesses have yet to become web conscientious. They may or may not have a web site. They haven’t even begun to think of a ‘web strategy’.
If they did, I’d be a millionaire. If you’re reading this, so would you.
To be sure, more and more people are using search – the key driver behind the idea that local business will be interacting – for local purposes. But many of the smaller local business types – real estate agents, mechanics, restaurant owners, etc. may or may not have web sites and barely tend to them. They probably haven’t heard of Yelp or many other online review sites.
They way this will change will be with those pioneers – many of whom have taken a larger online plunge – an established a serious online presence. They’ll start succeeding (many already have) and their competitors will get wind of it.
Then all hell will break loose. Time line? I predict massive growth for that 2010-2012. Until then, a steady climb.
Here’s a Mediaweek article about it.
