In part 1 of this series we explored how local search marketing works. Here in part 2, we’ll talk about why local search is important.
Today’s Internet savvy customers prefer to use online search capabilities instead of traditional media such as yellow pages and local newspapers. Increasingly, studies indicate that customers with Internet access are more likely to use a search engine than printed sources like yellow pages or local newspapers. This trend has been increasing every year.
In June 2008, eMarketer estimated that over 60% of US Internet users used a form of online local search when looking for local business information, with only 30% using printed directories:
Source: eMarketer
Of these potential customers, over 85% visited a retail storefront or contacted a business on the phone or by e-mail, as a result of their online local search:
Source: eMarketer
And not only do potential customers contact businesses as a result of a local search, over 50% of them actually make a purchase!
Source: eMarketer
Local search is likely to become more important in the future because search engines like Google are becoming more focused on local results. For example, Google recently introduced a feature where people searching for a generic term, like “pizza”, are automatically prompted to enter their zip code:
Based on current trends, every local business should have a presence in search engines and directories. If your business doesn’t, you could be missing out on valuable leads!
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