Local Online Media Outlets

A reader recently asked me how to generate buzz locally online. If you are going to promote yourself locally one of the first things you need to know is how to find a local audience. So I thought it might be helpful to put together this list of local online media:

• General Web Search Engines – Google, Yahoo, MSN, etc. (includes local versions such as Google Maps)
• Traditional Media Sites – newspapers, radio, TV, etc.
• City Guides – SFCityGuides, etc.
• Local Search Engines/Internet Yellow Pages – Kudzu, Yelp, Superpages, CitySquares, etc.
• Local Government Sites – Convention & Visitors Bureaus, Economic Development Bureaus
• Local Business Associations – Rotary, Kiwanis, Chambers of Commerce, etc.
• Events Sites – Zvents, Eventful, etc.
• Classifieds – Craigslist, Oodle, Recycler, etc.
• Coupons – ValuePak, Zixxo, etc
• Local Groups – Meetup, Yahoo Groups, Freecycle, etc
• Lead Generation Sites – Service Magic, Matchpoint, etc
• Local Blogs – Infiniti of Pleasanton Blog, etc
• Local Social Media – Facebook, Plaxo, MySpace, Wayfaring, Topix, LinkedIn, Youtube, etc.
• Local Search Advertising – ReachLocal, Weblistic, Webvisible, etc.

I am sure there are plenty of others. You could make the case that online to offline co’s like Spotrunner and Dmarc should be noted here too. All suggestions welcome…