Marchex has released thier local industry trend report today thru businesswire.com.  As the owners of the largest geo domain portfolio owners in the world, their analysis is of great value to those professionals in the geo domain industry.  You can view the 23 page report for free at this link.  You will have to register briefly to get access to the 4.64 mpeg .pdf file. This is a great write up that gives you a forecast of where this industry is heading.

2008 Perspectives on Local Online Advertising and Content’ identifies several trends that Marchex believes will continue to accelerate the growth of the local market in 2008 and beyond:

1. The adoption rate of online advertising services by small- to medium-sized businesses (SMBs) will continue to rise, driven by local sales channels such as Yellow Pages providers.
2. National advertisers will expand their focus on local online advertising campaigns and will increasingly utilize local geo-targeting and tactics that encourage and measure offline purchases.
3. The demand for call-based advertising services, such as call tracking and pay-per-phone call, will grow.
4. For consumers, the local search experience will improve, delivering more accurate and actionable results that more effectively connect consumers with local businesses.
5. The local market will be less fragmented due to consolidation, innovation, and partnerships.

“Small- to medium-sized businesses are continuing to drive the growth in local online advertising, and ongoing investment from Yellow Pages companies and other local media will continue to fuel this growth in 2008,” said Russell C. Horowitz, Marchex Chairman and CEO. “In addition, based on direct input from our advertisers, we anticipate that national advertisers and agencies will increasingly focus on local geo-targeted campaigns, particularly as the Local Internet experience for consumers continues to improve and consolidation occurs.”