Local.com Corp., a local search engine, has launched Local Mobile, the company’s mobile service that allows users to access Local.com’s search engine from mobile phones and devices.
Local Mobile is a mobile-centric, ad-supported site that provides users with a way to perform relevant local searches by entering a keyword and location from their wireless phone or device. Local.com has teamed up with Trilibis Mobile, a provider of mobile community applications and enabling technologies, to develop Local.com’s mobile service.
“Local.com announced SMSLocal two years ago,” said Heath Clarke, chairman/CEO of Local.com. “Subsequent to this we acquired the Local.com domain name and, of course, focused on building our online presence. We felt now is the right time to extend our services and have done so with this latest release.”
Local Mobile enables users to access search results based on a simple “what” and “where” search; access business profile pages, complete with mapping; access driving directions; send listings to mobile phones or devices via SMS; access click-to-call functionality; and sort results by relevance, distance or name.
“This is an emerging market with new business and revenue models and lots of innovation,” Mr. Clarke said. “Critical mass isn’t there yet but the market is growing quickly. It’s an exciting time and we want to ensure that Local.com owns some of that market.”
Local Mobile is available on mobile phones or devices with mobile Web-browsing capabilities.
Local.com was ranked No.1 in local search relevance by Telemapics, and the company claims this service enables its users to access its results, plus driving directions, while they’re mobile.
Marketers benefit as it allows them to reach consumers who are physically close to businesses and reach them via pay-per-call.
“The biggest challenge in the online search-offline conversion puzzle is tracking,” Mr. Clarke said. “But there are different ways to approach this issue – for example, with online vouchers or call tracking.”
