While people are increasingly using search engines as their on-ramp to the web and for instant information retrieval, all the engines stumble when attempting to deliver truly relevant local information, according to a BusinessWeek piece.
Whereas search engines are guided by link popularity and algorithms, local knowledge often isn't measurable that way, the article points out. Accordingly, sites that use human input, such as CitySearch and others that solicit feedback and commentary, perform better because they tap into the community that lives in those areas.

Still, local search from the big engines such as Google and Yahoo can be useful if the right query is used. One big advantage of those bigger engines is their integration with mapping features. So when you find the result that you're looking for, the site will also help you get there.

Local search has been identified by most of the big players and others as a growth area.