Up till recently, Google was most effective for those looking to reach a far reaching audience. Today, this is not the only way to go any longer. Google has announced a local index for local businesses. This is perfect for the corner bookstore or coffee shop beside the clothing store.

Google Inc. has created a program to let businesses create or update listings on its Google Local index, the latest enhancement the Mountain View, California, vendor has made to one of its most popular search services.

Google Local Business Center, at http://www.google.com/local/add, lets business owners add their company information to Google Local or, if it’s already there, edit it, said Marissa Mayer, Google’s director of consumer Web products.

By offering this free service, Google seeks to increase the number of listings in Google Local and keep information current. “We want to build the most comprehensive index of local business information available on the Web and potentially anywhere,” Mayer said.

Receiving information directly from businesses will complement Google Local’s other sources of business listings data, such as yellow pages publishers, business directories and Web sites.

“If you don’t advertise in the yellow pages and you don’t have a Web site, right now you’re not findable in Google Local,” she said, adding that this new service is aimed at changing that.