Search marketing firm Overture has launched on Monday in the US Local Match , a service allowing advertisers to select the region where their ads appear online, targeting thus audience in that area to within half a mile.

Local Match is challenging Google’s locally targeted paid search, launched in April.

But the strenght of Local Match over its predecessor are that:
– even businesses without web sites can participate in sponsored search,
– advertisers can target their listings to customers in a 100 mile area down to the half-mile, while Google’s nearest reach is from 20 miles away,
– besides, the service enable advertisers to deliver multiple creatives across multiple locations, within one account, while by using a customer’s IP address from registration data, or designated market area DMA, advertisers can target what ads they want to feature even if users don’t specify their location.

Yahoo will use the local search listings on both its search and yellow pages sections. MSN, ESPN.com will also feature Local Match as distribution partners.

From Net Imperative.