Local Search Moves Up To The Dashboard

According to an interesting article from Online Media Daily, Yahoo has formed a partnership with Dash Navigation to integrate Yahoo’s local search function into the company’s wireless navigation system. This will allow people to find local businesses and products using Yahoo local search right from their cars. The product is due to launch in California in the spring.

The driver, hopefully sitting in a stationary vehicle, will be able to tap into local wifi networks and conduct searches just like they would on their pc at the office. No word yet on whether the search algorythm will be the same, but there will be one crucial difference. In this brave new world of mobile search, there will be no paid ads.

This will put more pressure on etailers who rely on ppc to kick the habit and get their sites positioned in the natural or organic search. It will also be interesting to see if video optimization will play a part as companies release videos and podcasts that target defined local geographies.

In a related story, Google is said to be working with Volkswagen to install Google earth into VW’s.