Local search is growing, according to new data by comScore Networks. The research company reported late last week that 63 percent of U.S. Internet users performed a local search online in July,
marking a 43 percent increase from July of 2005. Google claimed 30 percent of local searches, followed by Yahoo (29 percent) ad Microsoft (12 percent). comScore additionally reported that, during the
second quarter of this year, 47 percent of local searchers visited a local merchant as a result of their search behavior, while 41 percent made contact offline.