Perry Evans, who founded the popular mapping site MapQuest, is relaunching three businesses to capture a piece of the local Internet search market.
Local Matters Inc. – the combination of three companies – will provide Web users with more detailed results when searching for a business, directions and events.
Evans, who is no longer affiliated with MapQuest, in 2001 founded Aptas Inc., which made yellow-pages information searchable online. The company this month is completing its acquisition of Ypsolutions, a Metairie, La.-based company that allows businesses to place images of their yellow-pages ads online. Aptas also merged with Information Services Extended Inc., or ISX,, a Fort Lauderdale, Fla.-based provider of directory assistance services to telephone companies.
The combined companies will provide software and services to online directory publishers that will offer information about local businesses, including maps, store hours, services offered, payment options and nearby businesses.
The company, based on Blake Street in Lower Downtown, has 150 employees and 40 customers in 18 countries.
“Consumers don’t have a good experience when they’re trying to find the average local business online,” Evans said. “Local search has been a very hot topic. … We wanted to create a business that has much bigger scale in terms of access to capital, customer and revenue base.”
The service, which will be available through Dex Media’s website this year, allows users to run a “destination search” for a business or type of service near their home or specified location.
A search for tire dealers, for example, could reveal a map with seven options, represented by flags. Users can chose a flag to get more detailed information about the store, or choose several store listings and see a side-by-side comparison of services, hours and payment options.
If you need a cup of coffee while waiting for your new tires, Local Matters would provide the ability to search and map coffee shops nearby.
The software application also allows users to share their information with others or save it for later use. Eventually, each user could have a mini-database of personalized local information.
“Over time it becomes more valuable,” Evans said. “We’re trying to assemble a lot of content for you and give you a utility that becomes part of daily habit.”
Dex Media, which already uses some of Aptas’ software, said it has been approached by other local search companies but is working with Local Matters because of its “unique combination of insight of what the consumer wants from a local search services.”
Staff writer Kimberly S. Johnson can be reached at 303-820-1088 or kjohnson@denverpost.com.
