GenieKnows.com, a part of IT Interactive Services Inc., has launched a local search engine that is free and ad-supported.

"We are excited to add local-search capabilities to our already proven core search service. With the addition of local search capabilities, our users now have the option of searching the entire web or targeting a specific geographic area with their searches," says Barbara Manning, CEO of IT Interactive Services.

The Kelsey Group and BizRate.com surveyed nearly 4,000 U.S. consumers and found that 74 percent conduct local searches online, and an average 27 percent of U.S. consumers' total online searching is for local listings.