Until recently, the online local space was considered sleepy at best, dormant at worst. Yet no one doubted its potential at some point down the line.

But now, a confluence of factors is spurring interest in the local Web. As a result, several major online media companies are embarking on ambitious content plays in the segment, including AOL’s local news project Patch.com and MSNBC.com’s purchase of EveryBlock.com. Plus, both Google and Microsoft have recently shown interest in purchasing the local listings guide Yelp.

A New Zip Code.