Will Google+ Local be the nail in the coffin for small businesses?
Google Places can be great for the person providing just one distinct service in one location, but what about the small businesses that provide a range of services?
A perfect example is a small local builder, if he sets up a Places (Google+ Local) page, his listing would ideally come up when people search builders his location, but what about if they search carpenters his location, plumbers his location, bricklayers his location, tilers his location, etc, etc..
He may provide all those services but he will never appear in Places (Google+ Local) for those search terms because there are too many one service type person targeting those phrases.
Google Places (Google+ Local) could now become the small business owners nemesis as they appear in the SERPs above organics and the small business owners has very little chance of appearing for any more than 2 or 3 search phrases.