What if you could decide where to shop, eat or hang out, with a little help from local Google users?

It might take you a while to ask them all, so to make it easier we’ve launched a new effort to send window decals to over 100,000 local businesses in the U.S. that have been the most sought out and researched on Google.com and Google Maps. We’re calling these businesses the “Favorite Places on Google” and you’ll now start to find them in over 9,000 towns and cities, in all 50 states. You can also explore a sample of the Favorite Places in 20 of the largest U.S. cities at google.com/favoriteplaces.

New Bing Maps With Silverlight Photosynth

Not content with sitting back and delivering a simple mapping solution, the guys from Bing have created what is simply an awesome and groundbreaking experience which takes some of the best Microsoft technologies and melds them together. Read full post

Critical Local Search Factors To Pay Attention To

by Chris Crum Posted on WebProNews

Local search is only one sliver of the search marketing game, but it is an increasingly important one, and one that is changing rapidly. These days people are going to the web to find local businesses, sometimes more than even the phone book. Having a presence in local search is imperative for any small business, but just as imperative is being able to compete for visibility.