Data provider infoUSA on Tuesday announced that it has signed an agreement to license its business database to Google, BtoB Online reports. InfoUSA said the data would be available in Google Local. The move helps Google fill in business-listings gaps in its one-year-old local search product, which, like Yahoo's, taps multiple sources of information.
Search providers and Yellow Pages buy databases from a limited number of sources. A more complete set of data could give Google the edge over providers such as Verizon's Superpages.com, which until now have been considered better local products.
Amassing data is key, and small businesses are one valuable target. Yahoo last month announced it would make free websites available to small businesses, which would provide data as part of the free deal.
