I like the contents of this article relative to local business listings. Certainly covers the basics.

What I am most concerned about are small and local businesses having to contend with multiple websites when it comes to their local listing.

Afterall, there are over 60 websites specifically geared towards local listings in four major categories. How can a local or small business have the time resources to cover this space.

Even if you made a conscious decision to not manage all 60, there are well more than Google, Yahoo, Bing, and Ask. The space goes to Local.com (they went public), Yelp, Merchant Circle, and many others.

When it comes to mobile marketing, application developers will decide which database they want to use, therefore, the more locations that are updated and maintained the better for the local business.

If you add that Twittering will become an add-on to local business listings, the potential of dissatisfied customers walking out the door and Twittering or writing a review will add to the burden for local businesses to manage these listings.

Something we recently read at KillerStartUps are companies that are offering a low cost service to update then manage these listings for companies. You can read about this at KillerStartUps here:

http://www.killerstartups.com/Search/smartfindslocallisting-com-be-found-online

It is a changing world and the local business will benefit. There will be some adjustment to this space needed.

Good information from your post.