CNET: Yahoo, Ask Jeeves out to lure locals

Yahoo launched its Yahoo Local beta that combines maps, yellow pages information and even reviews of local businesses. The new site seems to sign an abandonment of its relationship with CitySearch for similar services.

At the same time, Ask Jeeves licensed the CitySearch content to improve its regional search results. It hopes to launch a local-oriented site in September. CitySearch will share in ad revenues garnered on CitySearch-provided content.

About a quarter of searches qualify as local, and the Internet search business is fast on the heels of the traditional yellow pages publishing business. Some analysts estimate the local component of search to be headed to billings just under a billion dollars within the next four or five years.