{"id":5576,"date":"2024-06-28T16:40:52","date_gmt":"2024-06-28T16:40:52","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/wpmudev.whitespark.ca\/?page_id=5576"},"modified":"2025-08-27T12:09:34","modified_gmt":"2025-08-27T18:09:34","slug":"local-search-ecosystem","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/whitespark.ca\/local-search-ecosystem\/","title":{"rendered":"Local Search Ecosystem"},"content":{"rendered":"<div class='breakdance'><section class=\"bde-section-5576-104 bde-section\">\n  \n  \n\t\n\n\n\n<div class=\"section-container\"><div class=\"bde-div-5576-105 bde-div\">\n  \n  \n\t\n\n\n\n<h1 class=\"bde-heading-5576-109 bde-heading\">\nThe US Local Search Ecosystem\n<\/h1><h1 class=\"bde-heading-5576-110 bde-heading\">\nGet a better understanding of how data providers, search engines, and directories exchange and access business data. The Local Search Ecosystem (LSE) is your resource to identify the most important sources for correct and accurate business information online.\n<\/h1>\n<\/div><div class=\"bde-div-5576-145 bde-div light-bg\">\n  \n  \n\t\n\n\n\n<div class=\"bde-code-block-5576-101 bde-code-block\">\n\n  \t\n\t\t  \t\t\t<object data=\"https:\/\/whitespark.ca\/wp-content\/lse\/main.svg\"><\/object>\n\n\n\n\t<script>\n\t\t\/**\n\t\t *  We can listen on these events and do something with them if we want to.\n\t\t *\/\n        document.addEventListener(\"lse-clicked\", function(e) {\n        \tconsole.log('lse-clicked', e.detail.message);\n        });\n\n        document.addEventListener(\"lse-mouseover\", function(e) {\n        \tconsole.log('lse-mouseover', e.detail.message);\n        });\n\n        document.addEventListener(\"lse-mouseout\", function(e) {\n        \tconsole.log('lse-mouseout', e.detail.message);\n        });\n\n\t<\/script>\n\n\n<\/div><div class=\"bde-div-5576-152 bde-div\">\n  \n  \n\t\n\n\n\n<div class=\"bde-text-5576-141 bde-text\">\nThis resource is dynamic. Hover over each segment to see the specific relationships and how information flows. Click segments to lock them.\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div><\/div>\n<\/section><section class=\"bde-section-5576-143 bde-section light-bg\">\n  \n  \n\t\n\n\n\n<div class=\"section-container\"><div class=\"bde-rich-text-5576-146 bde-rich-text breakdance-rich-text-styles\">\n<p class=\"text_medium\">The Local Search Ecosystem is the brainchild of\u00a0<a href=\"http:\/\/davidmihm.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">David Mihm<\/a>\u00a0and was first developed in 2009. The LSE shows how business information is distributed online, who the primary data providers are, how search engines use the data, and how it flows.<\/p><p class=\"text_medium\">Whitespark and\u00a0<a href=\"http:\/\/davidmihm.com\/\">David Mihm<\/a>\u00a0teamed up to map the Local Search Ecosystem for the USA and provide a clearer picture of how information flows in today\u2019s search environment.<\/p>\n<\/div><h2 class=\"bde-heading-5576-147 bde-heading\">\nData sources\n<\/h2><div class=\"bde-rich-text-5576-148 bde-rich-text breakdance-rich-text-styles\">\n<p class=\"text_medium\">In the United States there are four\u00a0<em>Primary Data Aggregators<\/em>: Infogroup, Neustar\/Localeze, Factual, and Foursquare (*<a href=\"https:\/\/whitespark.ca\/blog\/the-primary-data-aggregators-are-changing\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">previously Acxiom, however, with the business directory closing at the end of 2019, we believe Foursquare is in a position to take it\u2019s place<\/a>). These companies collect local business information and have massive data-sets in which they validate and vet the information provided. Search Engines like Google, Bing, and Apple license the primary aggregators data.<\/p><p class=\"text_medium\">Other\u00a0<em>Key Sites<\/em>\u00a0like Facebook, Yelp, Yellowpages, CityGrid, and Dun &amp; Bradstreet, also play a role in sending data feeds to Search Engines.<\/p><p class=\"text_medium\"><em>Search Engines<\/em>\u00a0manage their own databases, however, they utilize the information provided to them through the above mentioned sources. If the business data on any of these primary sources is incorrect it can override the information that is already available in the Search Engine\u2019s database, this can lead to either new listings being created or changing existing listing data.\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/whitespark.ca\/blog\/unravelling-the-mystery-of-bad-nap-data\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Bad NAP data<\/a>\u00a0can negatively impact your ability to rank in Google and Bing.<\/p><p class=\"text_medium\">There are many\u00a0<em>Geo and Vertical Directories<\/em>\u00a0that are valuable citation sources that can drive traffic to your website and ultimately bring in more business. These directories also access the information from the various primary services and display the data on their sites. Which further increases the importance of having correct business information (Name, Address, and Phone Number) on all of these sites.<\/p>\n<\/div><h2 class=\"bde-heading-5576-149 bde-heading\">\nThe LSE by Data Source to Display Platform\n<\/h2><div class=\"bde-text-5576-150 bde-text\">\nInteractive images are great and all, but sometimes it\u2019s also nice to see data in text format. Below is the flow of data from the source to display platform. Filter the data by Source, Type, Display Platform, or Relationship to see how the data flows.<br>\n<\/div><div class=\"bde-shortcode-5576-151 bde-shortcode\"><div id=\"footable_parent_5597\"\n         class=\" footable_parent ninja_table_wrapper loading_ninja_table wp_table_data_press_parent bootstrap3 colored_table\">\n                <table data-ninja_table_instance=\"ninja_table_instance_0\" data-footable_id=\"5597\" data-filter-delay=\"1000\" aria-label=\"lse\"            id=\"footable_5597\"\n           data-unique_identifier=\"ninja_table_unique_id_1612673668_5597\"\n           class=\" foo-table ninja_footable foo_table_5597 ninja_table_unique_id_1612673668_5597 table  nt_type_legacy_table table-hover table-condensed vertical_centered ninja_custom_color inverted footable-paging-right\">\n                <colgroup>\n                            <col class=\"ninja_column_0 \">\n                            <col class=\"ninja_column_1 \">\n                            <col class=\"ninja_column_2 \">\n                            <col class=\"ninja_column_3 \">\n                    <\/colgroup>\n        <thead>\n<tr class=\"footable-header\">\n                                                                        <th scope=\"col\"  class=\"ninja_column_0 ninja_clmn_nm_data_source \">Data Source<\/th><th scope=\"col\"  class=\"ninja_column_1 ninja_clmn_nm_source_type \">Source Type<\/th><th scope=\"col\"  class=\"ninja_column_2 ninja_clmn_nm_display_platform \">Display Platform<\/th><th scope=\"col\"  class=\"ninja_column_3 ninja_clmn_nm_relationship \">Relationship<\/th><\/tr>\n<\/thead>\n<tbody>\n\n        <tr data-row_id=\"1\" class=\"ninja_table_row_0 nt_row_id_1\">\n            <td>Factual<\/td><td>Data Aggregator<\/td><td>Facebook<\/td><td>Unconfirmed<\/td>        <\/tr>\n            <tr data-row_id=\"2\" class=\"ninja_table_row_1 nt_row_id_2\">\n            <td>Factual<\/td><td>Data Aggregator<\/td><td>LocalStack<\/td><td>Confirmed<\/td>        <\/tr>\n            <tr data-row_id=\"3\" class=\"ninja_table_row_2 nt_row_id_3\">\n            <td>Factual<\/td><td>Data Aggregator<\/td><td>Apple<\/td><td>Unconfirmed<\/td>        <\/tr>\n            <tr data-row_id=\"4\" class=\"ninja_table_row_3 nt_row_id_4\">\n            <td>Factual<\/td><td>Data Aggregator<\/td><td>Manta<\/td><td>Confirmed<\/td>        <\/tr>\n            <tr data-row_id=\"5\" class=\"ninja_table_row_4 nt_row_id_5\">\n            <td>Factual<\/td><td>Data Aggregator<\/td><td>Bing<\/td><td>Unconfirmed<\/td>        <\/tr>\n            <tr data-row_id=\"6\" class=\"ninja_table_row_5 nt_row_id_6\">\n            <td>Factual<\/td><td>Data Aggregator<\/td><td>CitySearch<\/td><td>Confirmed<\/td>        <\/tr>\n            <tr data-row_id=\"7\" class=\"ninja_table_row_6 nt_row_id_7\">\n            <td>Factual<\/td><td>Data Aggregator<\/td><td>ShowMeLocal<\/td><td>Confirmed<\/td>        <\/tr>\n            <tr data-row_id=\"8\" class=\"ninja_table_row_7 nt_row_id_8\">\n            <td>Factual<\/td><td>Data Aggregator<\/td><td>YellowBot<\/td><td>Confirmed<\/td>        <\/tr>\n            <tr data-row_id=\"9\" class=\"ninja_table_row_8 nt_row_id_9\">\n            <td>Factual<\/td><td>Data Aggregator<\/td><td>TripAdvisor<\/td><td>Unconfirmed<\/td>        <\/tr>\n            <tr data-row_id=\"10\" class=\"ninja_table_row_9 nt_row_id_10\">\n            <td>Factual<\/td><td>Data Aggregator<\/td><td>Yelp<\/td><td>Unconfirmed<\/td>        <\/tr>\n            <tr data-row_id=\"11\" class=\"ninja_table_row_10 nt_row_id_11\">\n            <td>Infogroup<\/td><td>Data Aggregator<\/td><td>YellowPages<\/td><td>Confirmed<\/td>        <\/tr>\n            <tr data-row_id=\"12\" class=\"ninja_table_row_11 nt_row_id_12\">\n            <td>Infogroup<\/td><td>Data Aggregator<\/td><td>BrownBook<\/td><td>Unconfirmed<\/td>        <\/tr>\n            <tr data-row_id=\"13\" class=\"ninja_table_row_12 nt_row_id_13\">\n            <td>Infogroup<\/td><td>Data Aggregator<\/td><td>Superpages<\/td><td>Confirmed<\/td>        <\/tr>\n            <tr data-row_id=\"14\" class=\"ninja_table_row_13 nt_row_id_14\">\n            <td>Infogroup<\/td><td>Data Aggregator<\/td><td>Merchant Circle<\/td><td>Likely<\/td>        <\/tr>\n            <tr data-row_id=\"15\" class=\"ninja_table_row_14 nt_row_id_15\">\n            <td>Infogroup<\/td><td>Data Aggregator<\/td><td>LocalStack<\/td><td>Confirmed<\/td>        <\/tr>\n            <tr data-row_id=\"16\" class=\"ninja_table_row_15 nt_row_id_16\">\n            <td>Infogroup<\/td><td>Data Aggregator<\/td><td>Ziplocal<\/td><td>Likely<\/td>        <\/tr>\n            <tr data-row_id=\"17\" class=\"ninja_table_row_16 nt_row_id_17\">\n            <td>Infogroup<\/td><td>Data Aggregator<\/td><td>Insiderpages<\/td><td>Confirmed<\/td>        <\/tr>\n            <tr data-row_id=\"18\" class=\"ninja_table_row_17 nt_row_id_18\">\n            <td>Infogroup<\/td><td>Data Aggregator<\/td><td>DexKnows<\/td><td>Confirmed<\/td>        <\/tr>\n            <tr data-row_id=\"19\" class=\"ninja_table_row_18 nt_row_id_19\">\n            <td>Infogroup<\/td><td>Data Aggregator<\/td><td>Manta<\/td><td>Confirmed<\/td>        <\/tr>\n            <tr data-row_id=\"20\" class=\"ninja_table_row_19 nt_row_id_20\">\n            <td>Infogroup<\/td><td>Data Aggregator<\/td><td>Google<\/td><td>Likely<\/td>        <\/tr>\n            <tr data-row_id=\"21\" class=\"ninja_table_row_20 nt_row_id_21\">\n            <td>Infogroup<\/td><td>Data Aggregator<\/td><td>Bing<\/td><td>Confirmed<\/td>        <\/tr>\n            <tr data-row_id=\"22\" class=\"ninja_table_row_21 nt_row_id_22\">\n            <td>Infogroup<\/td><td>Data Aggregator<\/td><td>Citysearch<\/td><td>Confirmed<\/td>        <\/tr>\n            <tr data-row_id=\"23\" class=\"ninja_table_row_22 nt_row_id_23\">\n            <td>Infogroup<\/td><td>Data Aggregator<\/td><td>mapquest<\/td><td>Confirmed<\/td>        <\/tr>\n            <tr data-row_id=\"24\" class=\"ninja_table_row_23 nt_row_id_24\">\n            <td>Infogroup<\/td><td>Data Aggregator<\/td><td>Yellowbook<\/td><td>Confirmed<\/td>        <\/tr>\n            <tr data-row_id=\"25\" class=\"ninja_table_row_24 nt_row_id_25\">\n            <td>Infogroup<\/td><td>Data Aggregator<\/td><td>Whitepages<\/td><td>Confirmed<\/td>        <\/tr>\n            <tr data-row_id=\"26\" class=\"ninja_table_row_25 nt_row_id_26\">\n            <td>Infogroup<\/td><td>Data Aggregator<\/td><td>Showmelocal<\/td><td>Likely<\/td>        <\/tr>\n            <tr data-row_id=\"27\" class=\"ninja_table_row_26 nt_row_id_27\">\n            <td>Infogroup<\/td><td>Data Aggregator<\/td><td>Yahoo! Local<\/td><td>Likely<\/td>        <\/tr>\n            <tr data-row_id=\"28\" class=\"ninja_table_row_27 nt_row_id_28\">\n            <td>Infogroup<\/td><td>Data Aggregator<\/td><td>Yellowbot<\/td><td>Confirmed<\/td>        <\/tr>\n            <tr data-row_id=\"29\" class=\"ninja_table_row_28 nt_row_id_29\">\n            <td>Infogroup<\/td><td>Data Aggregator<\/td><td>CityGrid Media<\/td><td>Confirmed<\/td>        <\/tr>\n            <tr data-row_id=\"30\" class=\"ninja_table_row_29 nt_row_id_30\">\n            <td>Acxiom<\/td><td>Data Aggregator<\/td><td>HotFrog<\/td><td>Likely<\/td>        <\/tr>\n            <tr data-row_id=\"31\" class=\"ninja_table_row_30 nt_row_id_31\">\n            <td>Acxiom<\/td><td>Data Aggregator<\/td><td>Magic Yellow<\/td><td>Likely<\/td>        <\/tr>\n            <tr data-row_id=\"32\" class=\"ninja_table_row_31 nt_row_id_32\">\n            <td>Acxiom<\/td><td>Data Aggregator<\/td><td>BrownBook<\/td><td>Unconfirmed<\/td>        <\/tr>\n            <tr data-row_id=\"33\" class=\"ninja_table_row_32 nt_row_id_33\">\n            <td>Acxiom<\/td><td>Data Aggregator<\/td><td>Superpages<\/td><td>Confirmed<\/td>        <\/tr>\n            <tr data-row_id=\"34\" class=\"ninja_table_row_33 nt_row_id_34\">\n            <td>Acxiom<\/td><td>Data Aggregator<\/td><td>B2B Yellowpages<\/td><td>Confirmed<\/td>        <\/tr>\n            <tr data-row_id=\"35\" class=\"ninja_table_row_34 nt_row_id_35\">\n            <td>Acxiom<\/td><td>Data Aggregator<\/td><td>MyWebYellow<\/td><td>Likely<\/td>        <\/tr>\n            <tr data-row_id=\"36\" class=\"ninja_table_row_35 nt_row_id_36\">\n            <td>Acxiom<\/td><td>Data Aggregator<\/td><td>Apple <\/td><td>Unconfirmed<\/td>        <\/tr>\n            <tr data-row_id=\"37\" class=\"ninja_table_row_36 nt_row_id_37\">\n            <td>Acxiom<\/td><td>Data Aggregator<\/td><td>Google<\/td><td>Likely<\/td>        <\/tr>\n            <tr data-row_id=\"38\" class=\"ninja_table_row_37 nt_row_id_38\">\n            <td>Acxiom<\/td><td>Data Aggregator<\/td><td>Yellowbook<\/td><td>Likely<\/td>        <\/tr>\n            <tr data-row_id=\"39\" class=\"ninja_table_row_38 nt_row_id_39\">\n            <td>Acxiom<\/td><td>Data Aggregator<\/td><td>Local.com<\/td><td>Confirmed<\/td>        <\/tr>\n            <tr data-row_id=\"40\" class=\"ninja_table_row_39 nt_row_id_40\">\n            <td>Acxiom<\/td><td>Data Aggregator<\/td><td>eLocal<\/td><td>Likely<\/td>        <\/tr>\n            <tr data-row_id=\"41\" class=\"ninja_table_row_40 nt_row_id_41\">\n            <td>Acxiom<\/td><td>Data Aggregator<\/td><td>Mylocally<\/td><td>Unconfirmed<\/td>        <\/tr>\n            <tr data-row_id=\"42\" class=\"ninja_table_row_41 nt_row_id_42\">\n            <td>Acxiom<\/td><td>Data Aggregator<\/td><td>Chamber of Commerce<\/td><td>Likely<\/td>        <\/tr>\n            <tr data-row_id=\"43\" class=\"ninja_table_row_42 nt_row_id_43\">\n            <td>Acxiom<\/td><td>Data Aggregator<\/td><td>YellowBot<\/td><td>Confirmed<\/td>        <\/tr>\n            <tr data-row_id=\"44\" class=\"ninja_table_row_43 nt_row_id_44\">\n            <td>Acxiom<\/td><td>Data Aggregator<\/td><td>Yelp<\/td><td>Likely<\/td>        <\/tr>\n            <tr data-row_id=\"45\" class=\"ninja_table_row_44 nt_row_id_45\">\n            <td>Acxiom<\/td><td>Data Aggregator<\/td><td>Neustar Localeze<\/td><td>Unconfirmed<\/td>        <\/tr>\n            <tr data-row_id=\"46\" class=\"ninja_table_row_45 nt_row_id_46\">\n            <td>Neustar Localeze<\/td><td>Data Aggregator<\/td><td>Facebook<\/td><td>Likely<\/td>        <\/tr>\n            <tr data-row_id=\"47\" class=\"ninja_table_row_46 nt_row_id_47\">\n            <td>Neustar Localeze<\/td><td>Data Aggregator<\/td><td>YP<\/td><td>Confirmed<\/td>        <\/tr>\n            <tr data-row_id=\"48\" class=\"ninja_table_row_47 nt_row_id_48\">\n            <td>Neustar Localeze<\/td><td>Data Aggregator<\/td><td>EZlocal<\/td><td>Confirmed<\/td>        <\/tr>\n            <tr data-row_id=\"49\" class=\"ninja_table_row_48 nt_row_id_49\">\n            <td>Neustar Localeze<\/td><td>Data Aggregator<\/td><td>HotFrog<\/td><td>Likely<\/td>        <\/tr>\n            <tr data-row_id=\"50\" class=\"ninja_table_row_49 nt_row_id_50\">\n            <td>Neustar Localeze<\/td><td>Data Aggregator<\/td><td>MagicYellow<\/td><td>Likely<\/td>        <\/tr>\n            <tr data-row_id=\"51\" class=\"ninja_table_row_50 nt_row_id_51\">\n            <td>Neustar Localeze<\/td><td>Data Aggregator<\/td><td>Merchant Circle<\/td><td>Likely<\/td>        <\/tr>\n            <tr data-row_id=\"52\" class=\"ninja_table_row_51 nt_row_id_52\">\n            <td>Neustar Localeze<\/td><td>Data Aggregator<\/td><td>LocalStack<\/td><td>Confirmed<\/td>        <\/tr>\n            <tr data-row_id=\"53\" class=\"ninja_table_row_52 nt_row_id_53\">\n            <td>Neustar Localeze<\/td><td>Data Aggregator<\/td><td>B2B YellowPages<\/td><td>Confirmed<\/td>        <\/tr>\n            <tr data-row_id=\"54\" class=\"ninja_table_row_53 nt_row_id_54\">\n            <td>Neustar Localeze<\/td><td>Data Aggregators<\/td><td>ZipLocal<\/td><td>Confirmed<\/td>        <\/tr>\n            <tr data-row_id=\"55\" class=\"ninja_table_row_54 nt_row_id_55\">\n            <td>Neustar Localeze<\/td><td>Data Aggregator<\/td><td>Apple<\/td><td>Confirmed<\/td>        <\/tr>\n            <tr data-row_id=\"56\" class=\"ninja_table_row_55 nt_row_id_56\">\n            <td>Neustar Localeze<\/td><td>Data Aggregator<\/td><td>Google<\/td><td>Likely<\/td>        <\/tr>\n            <tr data-row_id=\"57\" class=\"ninja_table_row_56 nt_row_id_57\">\n            <td>Neustar Localeze<\/td><td>Data Aggregator<\/td><td>Bing<\/td><td>Confirmed<\/td>        <\/tr>\n            <tr data-row_id=\"58\" class=\"ninja_table_row_57 nt_row_id_58\">\n            <td>Neustar Localeze<\/td><td>Data Aggregator<\/td><td>HERE PrimePlaces<\/td><td>Likely<\/td>        <\/tr>\n            <tr data-row_id=\"59\" class=\"ninja_table_row_58 nt_row_id_59\">\n            <td>Neustar Localeze<\/td><td>Data Aggregator<\/td><td>mapquest<\/td><td>Likely<\/td>        <\/tr>\n            <tr data-row_id=\"60\" class=\"ninja_table_row_59 nt_row_id_60\">\n            <td>Neustar Localeze<\/td><td>Data Aggregator<\/td><td>Yellowbook<\/td><td>Likely<\/td>        <\/tr>\n            <tr data-row_id=\"61\" class=\"ninja_table_row_60 nt_row_id_61\">\n            <td>Neustar Localeze<\/td><td>Data Aggregator<\/td><td>YaSabe<\/td><td>Confirmed<\/td>        <\/tr>\n            <tr data-row_id=\"62\" class=\"ninja_table_row_61 nt_row_id_62\">\n            <td>Neustar Localeze<\/td><td>Data Aggregator<\/td><td>Yahoo! Local<\/td><td>Confirmed<\/td>        <\/tr>\n            <tr data-row_id=\"63\" class=\"ninja_table_row_62 nt_row_id_63\">\n            <td>Neustar Localeze<\/td><td>Data Aggregator<\/td><td>YellowBot<\/td><td>Likely<\/td>        <\/tr>\n            <tr data-row_id=\"64\" class=\"ninja_table_row_63 nt_row_id_64\">\n            <td>Neustar Localeze<\/td><td>Data Aggregator<\/td><td>TripAdvisor<\/td><td>Unconfirmed<\/td>        <\/tr>\n            <tr data-row_id=\"65\" class=\"ninja_table_row_64 nt_row_id_65\">\n            <td>YP<\/td><td>Key Site<\/td><td>Yelp<\/td><td>Unconfirmed<\/td>        <\/tr>\n            <tr data-row_id=\"66\" class=\"ninja_table_row_65 nt_row_id_66\">\n            <td>YP<\/td><td>Key Site<\/td><td>Yahoo! Local<\/td><td>Unconfirmed<\/td>        <\/tr>\n            <tr data-row_id=\"67\" class=\"ninja_table_row_66 nt_row_id_67\">\n            <td>YP<\/td><td>Key Site<\/td><td>mapquest<\/td><td>Unconfirmed<\/td>        <\/tr>\n            <tr data-row_id=\"68\" class=\"ninja_table_row_67 nt_row_id_68\">\n            <td>Dun & Bradstreet<\/td><td>Key Site<\/td><td>Manta<\/td><td>Confirmed<\/td>        <\/tr>\n            <tr data-row_id=\"69\" class=\"ninja_table_row_68 nt_row_id_69\">\n            <td>Yelp<\/td><td>Key Site<\/td><td>YP<\/td><td>Unconfirmed<\/td>        <\/tr>\n            <tr data-row_id=\"70\" class=\"ninja_table_row_69 nt_row_id_70\">\n            <td>Yelp<\/td><td>Key Site<\/td><td>Apple<\/td><td>Unconfirmed<\/td>        <\/tr>\n            <tr data-row_id=\"71\" class=\"ninja_table_row_70 nt_row_id_71\">\n            <td>Yelp<\/td><td>Key Site<\/td><td>Bing<\/td><td>Unconfirmed<\/td>        <\/tr>\n            <tr data-row_id=\"72\" class=\"ninja_table_row_71 nt_row_id_72\">\n            <td>Yelp<\/td><td>Key Site<\/td><td>mapquest<\/td><td>Unconfirmed<\/td>        <\/tr>\n            <tr data-row_id=\"73\" class=\"ninja_table_row_72 nt_row_id_73\">\n            <td>Yelp<\/td><td>Key Site<\/td><td>Yahoo! Local<\/td><td>Unconfirmed<\/td>        <\/tr>\n            <tr data-row_id=\"74\" class=\"ninja_table_row_73 nt_row_id_74\">\n            <td>Foursquare<\/td><td>Key Site<\/td><td>Apple<\/td><td>Unconfirmed<\/td>        <\/tr>\n            <tr data-row_id=\"75\" class=\"ninja_table_row_74 nt_row_id_75\">\n            <td>Foursquare<\/td><td>Key Site<\/td><td>Bing<\/td><td>Unconfirmed<\/td>        <\/tr>\n            <tr data-row_id=\"76\" class=\"ninja_table_row_75 nt_row_id_76\">\n            <td>CityGrid Media<\/td><td>Key Site<\/td><td>EZlocal<\/td><td>Unconfirmed<\/td>        <\/tr>\n            <tr data-row_id=\"77\" class=\"ninja_table_row_76 nt_row_id_77\">\n            <td>CityGrid Media<\/td><td>Key Site<\/td><td>InsiderPages<\/td><td>Unconfirmed<\/td>        <\/tr>\n            <tr data-row_id=\"78\" class=\"ninja_table_row_77 nt_row_id_78\">\n            <td>CityGrid Media<\/td><td>Key Site<\/td><td>Google <\/td><td>Unconfirmed<\/td>        <\/tr>\n            <tr data-row_id=\"79\" class=\"ninja_table_row_78 nt_row_id_79\">\n            <td>CityGrid Media<\/td><td>Key Site<\/td><td>Bing<\/td><td>Unconfirmed<\/td>        <\/tr>\n            <tr data-row_id=\"80\" class=\"ninja_table_row_79 nt_row_id_80\">\n            <td>CityGrid Media<\/td><td>Key Site<\/td><td>CitySearch<\/td><td>Unconfirmed<\/td>        <\/tr>\n            <tr data-row_id=\"81\" class=\"ninja_table_row_80 nt_row_id_81\">\n            <td>CityGrid Media<\/td><td>Key Site<\/td><td>mapquest<\/td><td>Unconfirmed<\/td>        <\/tr>\n    <\/tbody><!--ninja_tobody_rendering_done-->\n    <\/table>\n    \n    \n    \n<\/div>\n<\/div><\/div>\n<\/section><section class=\"bde-section-5576-153 bde-section light-bg\">\n  \n  \n\t\n\n\n\n<div class=\"section-container\"><div class=\"bde-columns-5576-154 bde-columns\"><div class=\"bde-column-5576-155 bde-column\">\n  \n  \n\t\n\n\n\n<div class=\"bde-image-5576-156 bde-image\">\n<figure class=\"breakdance-image breakdance-image--2151\">\n\t<div class=\"breakdance-image-container\">\n\t\t<div class=\"breakdance-image-clip\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"breakdance-image-object\" src=\"https:\/\/whitespark.ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/03\/citation-cleanup-building-report-2.png\" width=\"1346\" height=\"1070\" srcset=\"https:\/\/whitespark.ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/03\/citation-cleanup-building-report-2.png 1346w, https:\/\/whitespark.ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/03\/citation-cleanup-building-report-2-300x238.png 300w, https:\/\/whitespark.ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/03\/citation-cleanup-building-report-2-1024x814.png 1024w, https:\/\/whitespark.ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/03\/citation-cleanup-building-report-2-768x611.png 768w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1346px) 100vw, 1346px\"><\/div>\n\t<\/div><\/figure>\n\n<\/div>\n<\/div><div class=\"bde-column-5576-157 bde-column\">\n  \n  \n\t\n\n\n\n<div class=\"bde-div-5576-158 bde-div\">\n  \n  \n\t\n\n\n\n<div class=\"bde-div-5576-159 bde-div\">\n  \n  \n\t\n\n\n\n<div class=\"bde-icon-5576-160 bde-icon\">\n\n    \n            <div class=\"bde-icon-icon breakdance-icon-atom\" >\n    \n                    <svg xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" width=\"1001\" height=\"1000\" viewBox=\"0 0 1001 1000\" fill=\"none\">\r\n<g clip-path=\"url(#clip0_1512_7052)\">\r\n<path d=\"M850.769 0H150.77C67.9362 0 0.769531 67.1667 0.769531 150V850C0.769531 932.833 67.9362 1000 150.77 1000H850.769C933.603 1000 1000.77 932.833 1000.77 850V150C1000.77 67.1667 933.603 0 850.769 0ZM563.269 291.667H792.436V354.167H563.269V291.667ZM403.769 807.167L228.269 907.583C217.603 913.667 205.936 916.708 194.27 916.708C182.478 916.708 170.645 913.583 159.936 907.375C138.561 894.958 125.811 872.792 125.811 848.083V500L188.311 562.5V848.083C188.311 850.417 189.311 852.167 191.311 853.292C193.27 854.417 195.27 854.458 197.27 853.292L372.769 752.875C374.853 751.667 375.853 749.875 375.811 747.458C375.728 745.042 374.644 743.292 372.478 742.208L275.561 693.75L259.645 615.875L400.478 686.292C423.103 697.625 437.603 720.375 438.311 745.667C438.936 771.083 425.728 794.625 403.769 807.167ZM282.02 437.5C184.395 437.5 104.936 358.042 104.936 260.417C104.936 162.792 184.395 83.3333 282.02 83.3333C317.519 83.3333 351.728 93.7917 381.061 113.583L346.061 165.375C327.145 152.583 304.978 145.833 282.02 145.833C218.853 145.833 167.436 197.25 167.436 260.417C167.436 323.583 218.853 375 282.02 375C334.353 375 378.644 339.708 392.269 291.667H292.436V229.167H427.853C445.103 229.167 459.103 243.167 459.103 260.417C459.103 358.042 379.644 437.5 282.02 437.5ZM792.436 812.5H563.269V750H792.436V812.5ZM896.603 666.667H563.269V604.167H896.603V666.667ZM896.603 208.333H563.269V145.833H896.603V208.333Z\" fill=\"#828298\"\/>\r\n<\/g>\r\n<defs>\r\n<clipPath id=\"clip0_1512_7052\">\r\n<rect width=\"1000\" height=\"1000\" fill=\"white\" transform=\"translate(0.769531)\"\/>\r\n<\/clipPath>\r\n<\/defs>\r\n<\/svg>\n        \n        \n        \n            <\/div>\n    \n\n\n<\/div><h1 class=\"bde-heading-5576-161 bde-heading\">\nLISTINGS SERVICE\n<\/h1>\n<\/div><h1 class=\"bde-heading-5576-162 bde-heading\">\nYour local listings, <text-pop>handled.<\/text-pop>\n<\/h1><h1 class=\"bde-heading-5576-163 bde-heading\">\nEffective & affordable citation building and cleanup services from the industry-leader.\n<\/h1><div class=\"bde-text-5576-164 bde-text\">\n<b>Packages starting at $20<\/b> | one-time fee\n<\/div><div class=\"bde-div-5576-165 bde-div\">\n  \n  \n\t\n\n\n\n<div class=\"bde-div-5576-166 bde-div\">\n  \n  \n\t\n\n\n\n<div class=\"bde-button-5576-167 bde-button\">\n    \n                        \n                        \n    \n    \n    \n    \n            \n                    \n            \n            \n\n    \n    \n    \n    \n    \n    <a class=\"breakdance-link button-atom button-atom--primary bde-button__button\" href=\"https:\/\/whitespark.ca\/listings-service\/\" target=\"_self\" data-type=\"url\"  >\n\n    \n        <span class=\"button-atom__text\">See packages & pricing<\/span>\n\n        \n        \n                <\/a>\n\n    \n\n\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div>\n<\/section><section class=\"bde-section-5576-168 bde-section light-bg\">\n  \n  \n\t\n\n\n\n<div class=\"section-container\"><h2 class=\"bde-heading-5576-169 bde-heading\">\nOverview of study\n<\/h2><div class=\"bde-rich-text-5576-170 bde-rich-text breakdance-rich-text-styles\">\n<h2><\/h2>\n<p>There have been quite a few changes to the LSE, from the data collection process to the new design and relationship classifications. Scroll down if you want an in-depth explanation of why these data sources have made the cut; you\u2019ll get an overview of the history of this resource, implemented changes, and important observations made during the study.<\/p>\n<h2> <\/h2>\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Resources Used<\/h3>\n<h2> <\/h2>\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li style=\"list-style-type: none;\">\n<ul>\n<li>Distribution lists from aggregators<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p> <\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"list-style-type: none;\">\n<ul>\n<li>Published attribution lists<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p> <\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"list-style-type: none;\">\n<ul>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.slideshare.net\/darrenshaw1\/moz-local-2016-darren-shaw-citation-investigation\">Whitespark\u2019s Data Aggregators Study<\/a>.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p> <\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"list-style-type: none;\">\n<ul>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/whitespark.ca\/listings-service\/\">Listings Service<\/a>\u00a0Reports generated in-house.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p> <\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"list-style-type: none;\">\n<ul>\n<li>Direct contact with the\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/whitespark.ca\/top-local-citation-sources-by-country\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Top 50 Most Important Citation Sites<\/a>.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><\/p>\n<h2> <\/h2>\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Relationship Classifications<\/h3>\n<h2> <\/h2>\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li style=\"list-style-type: none;\">\n<ul>\n<li><strong><em>Confirmed<\/em><\/strong>\u00a0\u2013 through empirical studies, data aggregator lists, or from business directories.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p> <\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"list-style-type: none;\">\n<ul>\n<li><strong><em>Likely<\/em><\/strong>\u00a0\u2013 not tested, but reported on attribution pages or directly from the sites we contacted.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p> <\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"list-style-type: none;\">\n<ul>\n<li><strong><em>Unconfirmed\u00a0<\/em><\/strong>\u2013 these relationships are reported by data aggregator\u2019s, but we could not confirm them in our empirical study.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><\/p>\n<h2> <\/h2>\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">New Design<\/h3>\n<h2> <\/h2>\n<p>We updated the design to reflect an eco-wheel that summarizes the data sources, relationship connections, and how information is pushed and pulled throughout the local search environment. The placement of Google is a very noticeable change, as it is not central to the image. We made this change because\u00a0<em>Google is a receiver of business information, rather than a provider, so in this sense its role is similar to that of any other business directory<\/em>. A huge thank you to our amazing design team,\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/www.avenircreative.ca\/\">Avenir Creative<\/a>, for being so awesome to work with on this.<\/p>\n<h2> <\/h2>\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Definitions<\/h3>\n<h2> <\/h2>\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Primary Data Aggregator<\/h3>\n<h2> <\/h2>\n<p>These are businesses whose business model consists of collecting and regularly updating and enriching business data, and then selling it to other companies, including business directories. They have the most influence in the ecosystem.<\/p>\n<h2> <\/h2>\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Core Search Engines<\/h3>\n<h2> <\/h2>\n<p>The core Search Engines are Google, Bing, and Apple Maps. They are the most important display platforms that receive information from a multitude of different sources.<\/p>\n<h2> <\/h2>\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Other Key Sites<\/h3>\n<h2> <\/h2>\n<p>These are sites that serve either as actual data providers of lesser significance (Dun &amp; Bradstreet, Foursquare, CityGrid), or as important display platforms (Facebook), or in some cases both (Yellowpages, Yelp).<\/p>\n<h2> <\/h2>\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Geo &amp; Vertical Directories<\/h3>\n<h2> <\/h2>\n<p>These are all other important business directories in the ecosystem that either receive, or (much more rarely) provide data from and\/or to other sites.<\/p>\n<h2> <\/h2>\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Understanding the Local Search Ecosystem<\/h2>\n<h2> <\/h2>\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Foreword<\/h3>\n<h2> <\/h2>\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"96\" height=\"96\" class=\"wp-image-5612\" src=\"https:\/\/whitespark.ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/06\/image-173.png\" alt=\"\" \/><\/figure>\n<h2> <\/h2>\n<p><em>\u201cWhen I developed the first Local Search Ecosystem graphic, I had little idea how widely shared and used it would become. We all know how quickly the local search space changes and the latest now-three-year-old graphic was woefully out of date. But as\u00a0<a href=\"http:\/\/tidings.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Tidings<\/a>\u00a0has become a full-time job (and a half!), I no longer have the bandwidth for search-focused projects, including the research of the latest data relationships or production of the graphic itself.<\/em><\/p>\n<h2> <\/h2>\n<p><em>Darren offered Whitespark\u2019s assistance in producing and maintaining an updated version, and since\u00a0Nyagoslav and I had already partnered on the German version several years ago, it was a no-brainer to partner again once more.\u00a0Darren pre-released the latest version to great acclaim at MozCon Local earlier this year, and I\u2019m excited to see not only the dynamic version of the graphic come to fruition this year, but future enhancements and improvements from the Whitespark team.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n<h2> <\/h2>\n<p><em>\u2013David Mihm<\/em><\/p>\n<h2> <\/h2>\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">A Brief History of the Local Search Ecosystem<\/h3>\n<h2> <\/h2>\n<p>When it comes to local SEO, there is hardly a more popular resource than David Mihm\u2019s Local Search Ecosystem (LSE) infographic.<\/p>\n<h2> <\/h2>\n<p>First published in 2009, the LSE attempted to explain visually the complexity of local data relationships, and why incorrect data so often found its way to the front page of Google or Bing. At that time very few people were aware of the fact that claiming and updating your Google local listing didn\u2019t automatically mean that your business data would forever be displayed accurately on Google Maps, and even fewer knew how to make sure the information did stay correct. The LSE brought this unique local search issue to the SEO community\u2019s attention, and eventually helped both agencies and businesses improve their local SEO processes.<\/p>\n<h2> <\/h2>\n<p><em><strong>2009 LSE:<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n<h2> <\/h2>\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"600\" height=\"396\" class=\"wp-image-5613\" src=\"https:\/\/whitespark.ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/06\/image-174.png\" alt=\"\" srcset=\"https:\/\/whitespark.ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/06\/image-174.png 600w, https:\/\/whitespark.ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/06\/image-174-300x198.png 300w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 600px) 100vw, 600px\" \/><\/figure>\n<h2> <\/h2>\n<p>Before diving deeper, a couple of terms need to be introduced in order for the ecosystem to be understood properly:<\/p>\n<h2> <\/h2>\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Data Aggregators<\/h3>\n<h2> <\/h2>\n<p>These are businesses whose business model consists of collecting and regularly updating and enriching business data, and then selling it to other companies, including business directories.<\/p>\n<h2> <\/h2>\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Business Data Feeds<\/h3>\n<h2> <\/h2>\n<p>When data aggregators collect business data, they compile it in a structured manner so that business directories (and other companies) can use it more easily, thus \u201cfeeding\u201d them the business data.<\/p>\n<h2> <\/h2>\n<p>One challenge with the\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/whitespark.ca\/local-search-ecosystem\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">local search ecosystem<\/a>\u00a0is that it goes through frequent changes. New players come in, business directories stop operating, and the significance of the different data sources shift. This prompted David to produce two updated versions of the infographic \u2013 in 2012 and in 2014.<\/p>\n<h2> <\/h2>\n<p>The most significant change in the 2012 version of the infographic was the introduction of Yext, although David himself\u00a0<a href=\"http:\/\/www.davidmihm.com\/blog\/seo-industry\/local-search-ecosystem-2012\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">concurred<\/a>\u00a0that it was questionable if Yext fit the purposes of the infographic. Other important important trends noted by David at the time were:<\/p>\n<h2> <\/h2>\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li style=\"list-style-type: none;\">\n<ul>\n<li>The emergence of Google Map Maker as an important piece of the puzzle,<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p> <\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"list-style-type: none;\">\n<ul>\n<li>The decreasing influence of Acxiom, and<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p> <\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"list-style-type: none;\">\n<ul>\n<li>The increasing influence of Localeze.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><\/p>\n<h2> <\/h2>\n<p><em><strong>2012 LSE:<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n<h2> <\/h2>\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"792\" height=\"612\" class=\"wp-image-5614\" src=\"https:\/\/whitespark.ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/06\/image-175.png\" alt=\"\" srcset=\"https:\/\/whitespark.ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/06\/image-175.png 792w, https:\/\/whitespark.ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/06\/image-175-300x232.png 300w, https:\/\/whitespark.ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/06\/image-175-768x593.png 768w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 792px) 100vw, 792px\" \/><\/figure>\n<h2> <\/h2>\n<p>In the 2014 version, which was prepared when David served as the Director of Local Search Strategy at Moz, Moz Local was added as a new player, although similar concerns as the ones expressed in the 2012 version about Yext could be applied. David\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/moz.com\/blog\/2013-local-search-ecosystems\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">noted<\/a>\u00a0that Factual could by that time safely be considered one of the four major data aggregators.<\/p>\n<h2> <\/h2>\n<p><em><strong>2014 LSE:<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n<h2> <\/h2>\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"788\" class=\"wp-image-5615\" src=\"https:\/\/whitespark.ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/06\/image-176-1024x788.png\" alt=\"\" srcset=\"https:\/\/whitespark.ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/06\/image-176-1024x788.png 1024w, https:\/\/whitespark.ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/06\/image-176-300x231.png 300w, https:\/\/whitespark.ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/06\/image-176-768x591.png 768w, https:\/\/whitespark.ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/06\/image-176.png 1057w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><\/figure>\n<h2> <\/h2>\n<p>Understanding how the local search ecosystem works is of primary importance for the successful execution of a local SEO project; especially when tackling citation related work. A business listing that appears to be correct on the surface might become incorrect in a few weeks due to incoming third-party incorrect data, or data that already exists in the database of the site, but that hasn\u2019t been surfaced yet. Sometimes the issue can\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/whitespark.ca\/blog\/unravelling-the-mystery-of-bad-nap-data\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">run so deep and be so obscure<\/a>\u00a0that only a\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/whitespark.ca\/listings-service\/\">detailed citation audit\u00a0(and subsequent citation clean-up)<\/a> performed with thorough understanding of the local search ecosystem\u2019s peculiarities might be able to remedy the situation. Thus, because of the frequently changing nature of the ecosystem and its importance, we asked David if he would be interested in collaborating to create an updated version.<\/p>\n<h2> <\/h2>\n<p><em><strong>2017 LSE:<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n<h2> <\/h2>\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"950\" height=\"1024\" class=\"wp-image-5616\" src=\"https:\/\/whitespark.ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/06\/image-177-950x1024.png\" alt=\"\" srcset=\"https:\/\/whitespark.ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/06\/image-177-950x1024.png 950w, https:\/\/whitespark.ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/06\/image-177-278x300.png 278w, https:\/\/whitespark.ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/06\/image-177-768x827.png 768w, https:\/\/whitespark.ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/06\/image-177-1426x1536.png 1426w, https:\/\/whitespark.ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/06\/image-177.png 1680w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 950px) 100vw, 950px\" \/><\/figure>\n<h2> <\/h2>\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Data Sourcing and Analysis Methodology<\/h2>\n<h2> <\/h2>\n<p>Up-to-date accurate data is the most important element of the Local Search Ecosystem, and as it turns out, the toughest to obtain. As a starting point we used the same groups of sources David used when working on the previous versions of the infographic:<\/p>\n<h2> <\/h2>\n<p>A) Distribution lists we received directly from the 3 oldest and most important data aggregators (Acxiom, Infogroup, and Localeze);<\/p>\n<h2> <\/h2>\n<p>B) Publicly available information, including data source attributions visible on business directory listings pages, \u201cTerms of Service\u201d pages, or other legal pages (for instance,\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/gspe21-ssl.ls.apple.com\/html\/attribution-86.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">check out the Attributions page of Apple Maps<\/a>).<\/p>\n<h2> <\/h2>\n<p>SuperPages Attributions:<\/p>\n<h2> <\/h2>\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"490\" height=\"23\" class=\"wp-image-5617\" src=\"https:\/\/whitespark.ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/06\/image-178.png\" alt=\"\" srcset=\"https:\/\/whitespark.ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/06\/image-178.png 490w, https:\/\/whitespark.ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/06\/image-178-300x14.png 300w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 490px) 100vw, 490px\" \/><\/figure>\n<h2> <\/h2>\n<p>MapQuest Attribution:<\/p>\n<h2> <\/h2>\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"184\" height=\"23\" class=\"wp-image-5618\" src=\"https:\/\/whitespark.ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/06\/image-179.png\" alt=\"\" \/><\/figure>\n<h2> <\/h2>\n<p>However, we realized that this information is insufficient and might not show the whole picture. Thus, we collected data relationships information in a few additional ways:<\/p>\n<h2> <\/h2>\n<p>C) We performed a \u201cData Aggregators Study\u201d in 2016, the results of which were first presented by Darren at Mozcon Local. At the beginning of the study we \u201cseeded\u201d data about imaginary businesses on each of the data aggregators. Then, using the\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/whitespark.ca\/local-citation-finder\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Local Citation Finder<\/a>\u00a0and manual searches, we observed how many listings would be auto-generated and which sites these listings would be auto-generated on.<\/p>\n<h2> <\/h2>\n<p>D) We analyzed 20 citation audit reports of our clients (\u201cCitation Audits Study\u201d). We checked listings that had been auto-generated (i.e. not created as a result of manual effort) and cross-referenced overlapping NAP data for listings on different data aggregators and business directories to determine which data aggregators and business directories frequently feature same business details.<\/p>\n<h2> <\/h2>\n<p>E) We directly contacted each of\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/whitespark.ca\/top-local-citation-sources-by-country\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">the top 50 most important citation sites<\/a>. We only received 3 replies, however, that contained useful information from the following 3 sites: EZLocal, Cylex, and MapQuest.<\/p>\n<h2> <\/h2>\n<p>After compiling all this data we had the challenging task of reconciling it. In the process, we discovered that some of the data points were contradicting each other. Thus, we decided to introduce a new classification of relationships for this version of the LSE infographic:<\/p>\n<h2> <\/h2>\n<p><strong>Confirmed Relationships<\/strong>: relationships that were discovered during our empirical studies (Data Aggregators Study, Citation Audits Study, or both); in most cases these relationships were also confirmed either by the data aggregators\u2019 distribution lists or by the business directories (or by both).<\/p>\n<h2> <\/h2>\n<p><strong>Likely Relationships:<\/strong>\u00a0relationships that were not tested during our empirical studies, but were reported by the business directories (either in attributions pages on their sites or in their responses to our questions).<\/p>\n<h2> <\/h2>\n<p><strong>Unconfirmed Relationships:<\/strong>\u00a0relationships that were reported by the data aggregators in their distribution lists, but were not confirmed by our empirical Data Aggregators Study.<\/p>\n<h2> <\/h2>\n<p>It is important to note that our research suffers from certain limitations. For instance, our Citation Audits Study included analysis of citation audits that had been performed over a long period of time (approximately 1 year). As mentioned above, local search ecosystem relationships change frequently, so it is possible that such changes occurred from the time the first audit had been performed to the time the last audit was completed. As a result, the audit analysis data might be contradictory or incomplete.<\/p>\n<h2> <\/h2>\n<p>Additionally, we tried to not over rely on self-reported data, data aggregators distribution lists, business directories attribution pages, and written answers by business directories, which all were important sources of information used when creating the final version of the infographic.<\/p>\n<h2> <\/h2>\n<p>A critical problem that we faced when analyzing the data compiled during the Data Aggregators Study, was the issue of the origin of the data. For instance, if certain business data came to\u00a0<em>Site C<\/em>\u00a0directly from\u00a0<em>Site A<\/em>\u00a0(the arch-source), or if it first made its way from<em>\u00a0Site A<\/em>\u00a0to\u00a0<em>Site B<\/em>, and only then from\u00a0<em>Site B<\/em>\u00a0to\u00a0<em>Site C<\/em>\u00a0(refer to the section below for a specific example of this).<\/p>\n<h2> <\/h2>\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Infographic Design and Data Relationships Explanation<\/h3>\n<h2> <\/h2>\n<p>When we first started discussing the idea of updating the LSE infographic, one of the main concerns we had was with the design of the previous versions. In earlier designs Google was prioritized and occupied very prominent central place in the infographic. However, while Google is the most important display platform for most businesses, its place in the local search ecosystem is not that central.\u00a0<em><strong>Google is a receiver of business information, rather than a provider, so in this sense its role is similar to that of any other business directory<\/strong><\/em>. We discussed this issue with David and he suggested a rework of the design. After a number of failed redesign attempts, David came up with the brilliant \u201cEco-wheel\u201d concept and we figured we could make it dynamic.<\/p>\n<h2> <\/h2>\n<p>We have divided the players in the LSE into categories:<\/p>\n<h2> <\/h2>\n<p><strong>Primary Data Aggregators<\/strong>\u00a0\u2013 these are the 4 data aggregators with most influence in the ecosystem (Infogroup, Acxiom, Localeze, Factual);<\/p>\n<h2> <\/h2>\n<p><strong>Core Search Engines<\/strong>\u00a0\u2013 these are the most important display platforms that (predominantly) receive information from a number of different sources (Google, Bing, Apple Maps);<\/p>\n<h2> <\/h2>\n<p><strong>Key Sites<\/strong>\u00a0\u2013 these are sites that serve either as actual data providers of lesser significance (Dun &amp; Bradstreet, Foursquare, CityGrid), or as important display platforms (Facebook), or as both (Yellowpages, Yelp);<\/p>\n<h2> <\/h2>\n<p><strong>Other Sites<\/strong>\u00a0\u2013 all other important business directories in the ecosystem that either receive, or (much more rarely) provide data from\/to other sites.<\/p>\n<h2> <\/h2>\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Removal of Feed Sequence<\/h4>\n<h2> <\/h2>\n<p>Another feature that appeared in previous version of the LSE, but was dropped in the current version, was the different arrows that distinguished primary, secondary, and tertiary feeds. Some sites (such as the core search engines) receive data from a myriad of places. A good explicit example is the\u00a0<a href=\"http:\/\/gspe21.ls.apple.com\/html\/attribution-62.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Apple Maps attributions page<\/a>\u00a0that features more than 50 sources of business listings data. Google and Bing obtain business data through both\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/whitespark.ca\/blog\/what-is-a-local-citation-for-local-seo\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">structured and unstructured citations<\/a>\u00a0(simple mentions of businesses in news articles, blog posts, forum discussions), which means that the number of potential data sources for these two search engines is practically infinite. Furthermore, it is very likely that all these search engines use \u201cdata freshness\u201d as a major factor when deciding which data source will be displayed publicly. In some cases data from multiple sources might get merged together and certain bits of information from one source could be displayed together with bits of information from other sources.<\/p>\n<h2> <\/h2>\n<p>All this makes it extremely difficult to determine which the primary, secondary, or tertiary data sources for a site at any given time are. It is much easier, however, to determine how likely it is that a site uses business data from certain source. That is why we introduced arrows that represent the likelihood of existence of a relationship instead.<\/p>\n<h2> <\/h2>\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Pay-to-Play Businesses Excluded<\/h4>\n<h2> <\/h2>\n<p>Finally, we decided to exclude agencies from this version of the LSE infographic. These include UBL, Yext, and Moz Local that were present in previous versions, as well as any other agencies that offer listing management solutions (including Whitespark). There are two reasons for this:<\/p>\n<h2> <\/h2>\n<ol class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li style=\"list-style-type: none;\">\n<ol>\n<li>First, we wanted to create an infographic that featured natural relationships between business data providers and data receivers, and the agency way of adding business data to the ecosystem is always \u201cpay-to-play\u201d.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<p> <\/p>\n<ol>\n<li style=\"list-style-type: none;\">\n<ol>\n<li>Second, including only some agencies that are able to add business data to the ecosystem is unfair, and there are tens, or even hundreds, of agencies that have special relationships with different data aggregators or business directories (for instance, see Factual\u2019s list of Trusted Data Contributors).<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<p><\/p>\n<h2> <\/h2>\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Determining the Site Relationships<\/h4>\n<h2> <\/h2>\n<p>The different levels of\u00a0<em>Likelihood Of Relationships Between Sites In The Ecosystem<\/em>\u00a0(could be abbreviated as LORBSITE) have been mentioned a couple of times above, but some additional explanations are needed. We decided that when determining the LORBSITE we would assign different levels of trust to different information sources based on how likely it was that certain information was accurate and up-to-date. The sources were ordered in the following manner in terms of trustworthiness (starting from the most trustworthy):<\/p>\n<h2> <\/h2>\n<ol class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li style=\"list-style-type: none;\">\n<ol>\n<li>Relationship data discovered during Data Aggregators Study<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<p> <\/p>\n<ol>\n<li style=\"list-style-type: none;\">\n<ol>\n<li>Relationship data discovered during Citation Audit Study<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<p> <\/p>\n<ol>\n<li style=\"list-style-type: none;\">\n<ol>\n<li>Relationships reported by business directories answering our email questions<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<p> <\/p>\n<ol>\n<li style=\"list-style-type: none;\">\n<ol>\n<li>Relationships mentioned in attribution pages (or other pages) on business directory sites<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<p> <\/p>\n<ol>\n<li style=\"list-style-type: none;\">\n<ol>\n<li>Distribution data provided by data aggregators<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<p><\/p>\n<h2> <\/h2>\n<p>If relationship data between two (or more) information sources is inconsistent, we consider data discovered via the more trustworthy source as correct. For example, the distribution list provided by Infogroup didn\u2019t include LocalStack.com as part of Infogroup\u2019s distribution network. However, the results of both the Data Aggregators Study and the Citation Audit Study suggested that LocalStack does receive business data from Infogroup. Thus, an Infogroup \u2014&gt; LocalStack relationship was added as a \u201cconfirmed relationship\u201d in the LSE infographic.<\/p>\n<h2> <\/h2>\n<p>An opposite example would be a relationship between MapQuest and Localeze that was reported in Localeze\u2019s distribution list. However, this relationship was not confirmed by any of our empirical studies, nor by MapQuest\u2019s Director of Local Data and Partner Management Andy McMahon. As such a Localeze \u2014&gt; MapQuest relationship was added as \u201cunconfirmed relationship\u201d in the LSE infographic.<\/p>\n<h2> <\/h2>\n<p>This way of ranking business data information relationships made it easier to analyze the results and prepare the final infographic. In some cases, however, even this way of simplifying things was insufficient to understand more complicated cases. For example, during our Data Aggregators Study we stumbled upon a very interesting discovery \u2013\u00a0<em><strong>business data we \u201cseeded\u201d on Acxiom in our data aggregator study eventually appeared on Localeze.<\/strong><\/em>\u00a0When analyzing the data two different hypotheses emerged:<\/p>\n<h2> <\/h2>\n<p><strong>Hypothesis A:<\/strong>\u00a0There is no direct relationship between Acxiom and Localeze. Some other site in Acxiom\u2019s network got the data and generated a listing. Then Localeze \u201cscraped\u201d the data from that site and created their own listing. The fact that we also discovered an existing listing with the same data on Yellowpages, and knowing the overall prominence of Yellowpages in the local search ecosystem, the most likely site from which Localeze might have taken the data appeared to be Yellowpages. To summarize, the relationships in this case would look like this:<\/p>\n<h2> <\/h2>\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li style=\"list-style-type: none;\">\n<ul>\n<li>Acxiom \u2013&gt; Yellowpages<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p> <\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"list-style-type: none;\">\n<ul>\n<li>Yellowpages \u2013&gt; Localeze<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><\/p>\n<h2> <\/h2>\n<p><strong>Hypothesis B:<\/strong>\u00a0Plain and simple \u2013 there may be a direct relationship between Acxiom and Localeze. However, there is no direct relationship between Acxiom and Yellowpages, and the Acxiom data came to Yellowpages via Localeze. In this case the relationships would look like this:<\/p>\n<h2> <\/h2>\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li style=\"list-style-type: none;\">\n<ul>\n<li>Acxiom \u2013&gt; Localeze<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p> <\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"list-style-type: none;\">\n<ul>\n<li>Localeze\u2013&gt; Yellowpages<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><\/p>\n<h2> <\/h2>\n<p>While it is impossible to say for sure which of the two hypotheses is correct, we decided to go with B in the final version of the LSE. The main reason is because a relationship with Yellowpages is mentioned in Localeze\u2019s distribution list, but such a relationship is not mentioned in Acxiom\u2019s distribution list. Additionally, a relationship between Localeze and Yellowpages was confirmed via our Citation Audit Study. This made hypothesis B look like the more plausible scenario.<\/p>\n<h2> <\/h2>\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Excluded Data Sources<\/h4>\n<h2> <\/h2>\n<p>A large number of additional data sources and relationships were excluded from this version of the infographic. Such data sources could be grouped in the following manner:<\/p>\n<h2> <\/h2>\n<p><strong>1)<\/strong>\u00a0<strong>Proprietary Data<\/strong>\u00a0\u2013 some sites, such as the major data aggregators, Cylex, HotFrog, and TripAdvisor, generate listings based on business data they collect on their own. These sites use different methods of collecting such data, including\u00a0<a href=\"http:\/\/www.infogroup.com\/data\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">directly calling the businesses<\/a>, or using information found on business websites. Note that this is different from having business owners or representatives go to the sites and add new listings themselves (pretty much all major data aggregators and business directories allow for this).<\/p>\n<h2> <\/h2>\n<p><strong>2) Government Sources<\/strong>\u00a0\u2013 many data aggregators and business directories use business data provided by public institutions to maintain their databases. Such data comes from many different government sources. Thus, having a combined \u201cGovernment Sources\u201d label in the LSE infographic wouldn\u2019t be very helpful.<\/p>\n<h2> <\/h2>\n<p><strong>3) Less Significant Sources<\/strong>\u00a0\u2013 there are literally hundreds of other data sources different sites use. I already linked a bunch of times to the Apple Maps attributions page, which is a very good example. Factual have a feature called\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/www.factual.com\/blog\/crosswalk-api\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Crosswalk<\/a>, through which they collaborate with business directories (and other types of sites) and display links on their own listing pages to third-party pages for the same business. The full list of the sites Factual collaborate with\u00a0<a href=\"http:\/\/developer.factual.com\/places-crosswalk\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">is not publicly accessible<\/a>, but their total number is more than 50.<\/p>\n<h2> <\/h2>\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"728\" height=\"1024\" class=\"wp-image-5619\" src=\"https:\/\/whitespark.ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/06\/image-180.png\" alt=\"\" srcset=\"https:\/\/whitespark.ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/06\/image-180.png 728w, https:\/\/whitespark.ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/06\/image-180-213x300.png 213w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 728px) 100vw, 728px\" \/><\/figure>\n<h2> <\/h2>\n<p>Yellowpages is also rumoured to get business data from close to 50 sources, some of which are BBB and Groupon. Hopefully we will manage to find enough space for these currently excluded sources in future versions of the infographic.<\/p>\n<h2> <\/h2>\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Observations<\/h3>\n<h2> <\/h2>\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Localeze\u2019s Importance is Declining<\/h4>\n<h2> <\/h2>\n<p>One of the most important trends that have been observed during the last few years is the continuously diminishing importance of Localeze. Back in 2012 David\u00a0<a href=\"http:\/\/www.davidmihm.com\/blog\/seo-industry\/local-search-ecosystem-2012\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">noted<\/a>\u00a0that Localeze\u2019s importance was on the rise. However, in 2017 it seems like a lot fewer sites are using Localeze data compared to before.<\/p>\n<h2> <\/h2>\n<p>For instance, very little empirical evidence was found of Google, Facebook, MapQuest, Here, HotFrog, Kudzu, LocalStack, Manta, or MerchantCircle using Localeze business data. All of these sites were included in Localeze\u2019s data distribution list, though. This could mean that they buy data from Localeze, but eventually do not use it. If that is the case, the most likely reason for this is the perceived inaccuracy or lower quality of Localeze\u2019s data. It is generally difficult for businesses to keep their listings on Localeze correct. Back in 2013 Localeze\u00a0<a href=\"http:\/\/www.localvisibilitysystem.com\/2013\/04\/17\/rip-localeze-free-business-listings\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">stopped allowing free listing additions<\/a>, which means that new businesses can only be added to Localeze after they pay. Additionally, a business that has an existing listing on Localeze could only update their basic business details (business name, address, main phone number, 1 category) once per year for free. If that business might want to add richer information \u2013 website, more categories, relevant keywords, additional phone numbers, payment methods accepted \u2013 or if they would like to update their business details more than once per year, they would need to pay a pretty hefty retail fee.<\/p>\n<h2> <\/h2>\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\">It Is Becoming Impossible to Update or Add a Listing on Factual<\/h4>\n<h2> <\/h2>\n<p>Worrisome issues have also been observed in the last couple of years with Factual. While it is undoubtedly an important data aggregator, and could be considered part of the \u201cBig Four\u201d, many businesses and agencies find it close to impossible to add, or worse, update their business information on Factual. The turnaround times for updates on Factual have always been long, starting from\u00a0<a href=\"http:\/\/www.localvisibilitysystem.com\/2013\/09\/24\/how-to-add-your-business-to-factual\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">about a week in 2013<\/a>, to\u00a0<a href=\"http:\/\/blumenthals.com\/blog\/2014\/07\/29\/factual-no-longer-accepting-individual-updates\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">2-3 months in 2014-2015<\/a>. Nowadays it seems like it is pretty much impossible to get a Factual listing updated, no matter the method you use. You can try to send the updates via\u00a0<a href=\"http:\/\/developer.factual.com\/places\/trusted-data-contributors\/index.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">their API<\/a>, or\u00a0<a href=\"http:\/\/www.factual.com\/contact\/update_add_business\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">manually<\/a>, but all of these methods seem to rarely work, and it is unclear if in those instances where changes occur they are prompted by the submitted reports. If this issue is not rectified, Factual\u2019s data quality will continue to decline, and it may lose its influence as a data aggregator.<\/p>\n<h2> <\/h2>\n<p><em>**(Since publishing this study Factual has joined forces with Foursquare in early 2020)<\/em><\/p>\n<h2> <\/h2>\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\">There\u2019s a Secondary Group of Key Sites That Could Be Considered Semi-Data Aggregators<\/h4>\n<h2> <\/h2>\n<p>Some \u201ckey sites\u201d in the current version of the LSE seem to be as important data sources as the Big Four data aggregators.\u00a0<a href=\"http:\/\/applemapsmarketing.com\/apple-maps-trusts-yelp-more-than-business-listing-aggregators\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Yelp feeds review (and business) data<\/a>\u00a0to\u00a0<a href=\"http:\/\/www.prnewswire.com\/news-releases\/yelp-to-bring-more-content-to-bing-local-search-159027065.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Bing<\/a>, Apple Maps,\u00a0<a href=\"http:\/\/searchengineland.com\/yelp-yp-enter-content-distribution-partership-187184\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Yellowpages<\/a>,\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/yahoosearch.tumblr.com\/post\/79354730916\/a-five-star-partnership-yelps-reviews-and\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Yahoo! Local<\/a>, and MapQuest. Yellowpages feeds Yelp (the deal is reciprocal), Yahoo! Local (there used to be an attribution page on Yahoo! Local), MapQuest, and a large number of smaller sites. Both Apple Maps and\u00a0<a href=\"http:\/\/www.theverge.com\/2014\/2\/4\/5378152\/microsoft-invests-in-foursquare-will-use-data-in-bing-and-windows\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Bing use Foursquare data<\/a>. The CityGrid network\u00a0<a href=\"http:\/\/developer.citygridmedia.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">claims to include<\/a>\u00a0Google, Bing, Citysearch, Insiderpages, MapQuest, EZLocal, and a number of other niche sites. Overall, Yelp, Yellowpages, Foursquare, and CityGrid could be viewed as the \u201cDirty Four\u201d \u2013 a secondary group of 4 semi-data-aggregators that are not as well-known as the Big Four, but that are almost as important when it comes to making sure a business\u2019s data is accurate (and stays accurate) across the web. Ignore these at your own risk.<\/p>\n<h2> <\/h2>\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Conclusion<\/h3>\n<h2> <\/h2>\n<p>While we used a number of new methods to figure out existing business data relationships, some of our research results were inconclusive. Thus, in the next version of the LSE, we will include data from additional research that is currently underway at Whitespark.<\/p>\n<h2> <\/h2>\n<p>Given the dynamic nature of these relationships, a future version of the LSE could look very different than what we are seeing now. A number of sites appear to be moving towards a model where they pull data only one time from a data aggregator\u2019s feed, and then they use their in-house capabilities to keep the data up to date \u2013 including by setting up their own crawlers (HotFrog), sourcing data directly from the business\u2019s website (Cylex), or communicating with each business on a regular basis (TripAdvisor). This means that \u201cProprietary Data\u201d could become an important part of the next version of the infographic.<\/p>\n<h2> <\/h2>\n<p>And for all of you wondering about other countries, we will be releasing local search ecosystems for Canada, the UK, Australia, Germany, and Brazil in the coming months.<\/p>\n<h2> <\/h2>\n<p>Finally, thank you, David, for your work defining the local search ecosystem and establishing it as one of the most important resources in our industry, and for your input and collaboration to produce this latest version.<\/p>\n<h2><\/h2>\n<\/div><\/div>\n<\/section><\/div>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>The US Local Search Ecosystem Get a better understanding of how data providers, search engines, and directories exchange and access business data. The Local Search Ecosystem (LSE) is your resource to identify the most important sources for correct and accurate business information online. This resource is dynamic. Hover over each segment to see the specific [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"parent":0,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_seopress_robots_primary_cat":"","_seopress_titles_title":"The U.S. Local Search Ecosystem | Whitespark","_seopress_titles_desc":"Understand how data providers, search engines, and directories exchange and access business data in the USA, and which sites matter most for correct NAP.","_seopress_robots_index":"","_breakdance_hide_in_design_set":false,"_breakdance_tags":"","footnotes":""},"class_list":["post-5576","page","type-page","status-publish","hentry"],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/whitespark.ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/5576","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/whitespark.ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/whitespark.ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/page"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/whitespark.ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/whitespark.ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=5576"}],"version-history":[{"count":6,"href":"https:\/\/whitespark.ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/5576\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":8569,"href":"https:\/\/whitespark.ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/5576\/revisions\/8569"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/whitespark.ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=5576"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}