Earlier today it was announced that Google has purchased 32 year old rating and guide company Zagat. This is one of a number of recent occurrences that show how important local is going to be going forward. After Google failed to acquire Yelp in 2009 and then failed once again in an attempt to buy Groupon in 2010, this acquisition shows that they aren't going to stop competing with those local powerhouses.One thing is apparent: Reviews are a huge factor in determining ranking and driving traffic to websites found on local search results.