Local business search startup Localeze just announced that they will power some of Microsoft Bing’s local business listings. Microsoft will use Localeze’s 14 million listings for Bing Local and Bing 411.
As part of the deal, Bing will use Localeze’s premium business content, including more than 500,000 business-verified and managed listings, which have been edited directly by local businesses. In addition to name/address and contact info, Localeze’s listings also include hours of operation, products and services offered, credit cards accepted and more. All of this information will appear on Bing’s local business profiles. Any local search results on Bing utilizing Localeze content will be attributed to Localeze.
Bing seems to be building up its local listings to compete with Google’s vast database of local listings. Localeze promises keyword rich, verified and current local business content to local online search directories, vertical local search engines, social networking search sites, mobile search applications and Internet Yellow Pages. The company competes with InfoUSA and Acxiom.
The local listing space is getting hot. Earlier today, AT&T announced the launch of its own local listings site, Buzz.