One can almost visualize the chess board as R.H. Donnelly and Idearc Media make strategic moves to become the leader of the local search market. All the experts are all a buzz as the local landscape is forecasted to be “the next big thing”.

The percent of local internet searches will grow from 5% to 25% from 2007 to 2017, according to the Marchex’s release of ‘Unlocking the Potential of the Local Internet’, a 12-page primer that details an overview of the local search market opportunity.

Here is an at a glance timeline of press releases from R.H. Donnelly and Idearc Media just over the last few months.

June 2007 – R.H. Donnelley Launches DexKnows.com

July 2007 – Superpages Launches Local Video Ads

July 2007 – R.H. Donnelley to Acquire Business.com Inc.

July 2007 – SuperPages Taps 1-800-Free411 For Mobile Distribution

August 2007 – R.H. Donnelley and Yahoo! Local Expand Relationship

September 2007 – Superpages Acquires ‘LocalSearch.com’ Domain

September 2007 – R.H. Donnelley Introduces 1-800-CallDex

September 2007 – Superpages Parent To Acquire InfoSpace Directory Sites

Only time will tell where the local search landscape is taking us and who will be the defined leader. As a former Idearc Media employee I have had a close inside view of local search and I can definitely tell you that the internet marketing industry as a whole has barley hit the tip of the ice berg that local search opportunities hold.

Some advice to those who are ready to run off into local search with clients in hand, learn the important differences in search engine paid campaigns and directory paid campaigns. The rules of the game are very different and you may run into unsuccessful campaigns with little to no ROI.

This is an interesting development in the online marketing world. Here is the full story from SEW:

Business.com acquired by Yellow Pages Publisher