Given the local mobile search boom and its strong implications, we’re hosting a top-level Local Mobile Search panel at the Yellow Pages Association’s upcoming annual conference and exhibition, to be held April 6-8 at Mandalay Bay in Las Vegas.

Following is a preview of the panel with some hot discussion areas to be covered.

1) Which local mobile content elements are most valuable to consumers? Why?

Basic business contact information, e.g., phone number, address, are a given No. 1, but as panelist Jeffrey Porter (R.H. Donnelley) points out, actionable content is the most valuable as mobile searchers are typically at the end of the buying cycle and looking to take action. Therefore, maps, driving directions and timel More...

Above is one of the thousands of queries I’ve looked at, trying to understand how people search locally in order to plan keyword buying for Yellow Pages publishers. In my experience, search queries are as varied as the people searching, but it is possible to make generalizations. This query, for example, evidences a few of the challenges that publishers face when building keyword campaigns.

One issue it raises is that the searcher is not looking for “women’s apparel” or even “dresses.” She (or possibly he) went straight for “cocktail dresses.” If searchers won’t conform to Yellow Pages category headings, then we have to anticipate the myriad of products and services associated with our schema. The query also begs the question: does “in new york” refer to the state or the city? More...