Power shifts when giants face scrutiny. A federal judge just ruled that Yelp’s antitrust claims against Google will proceed, potentially reshaping the local search landscape for businesses everywhere.

The lawsuit, initiated in August, alleges Google leverages its search dominance to suppress competition in local search services. According to Yelp, Google prioritizes its own reviews and business listings over competitors, regardless of relevance or accuracy.

U.S. Magistrate Judge Susan van Keulen rejected Google’s dismissal request in a 33-page ruling, finding that Yelp adequately alleged a “dangerous probability” of Google holding monopoly power in local search. The complaint claims Google controls over 50% of the local search ad market by revenue, with that share steadily growing.

This case matters for every local business that relies on digital visibility. For years, the local search ecosystem has operated under Google’s terms. When potential customers search “dentist near me” or “best plastic surgeon in [city],” the results they see are increasingly influenced by Google’s own systems rather than third-party platforms that may offer different or more specialized reviews.

If Yelp prevails, we could see fundamental changes to how local businesses appear in search results. This might create new opportunities for visibility beyond Google’s ecosystem, potentially diversifying how customers find local services.

The ruling represents just the first step in what will likely be a lengthy legal battle. But for local businesses watching from the sidelines, it signals that the rules of local search visibility might soon face their most significant challenge in years.

The question now: Will this case finally bring more competition to local search, or will Google maintain its position as the primary gateway to local business discovery?