According to a new study by TMP and Comscore, almost 40% of people who conducted an Internet search for a local business ended up visiting the store in person.
via eMarketer
The most likely action they take after getting the search result is to call on the phone, followed by getting a map and directions.
Some other interesting data points:
- 5% more people are conducting these types of local searches this year over last year.
- For most business categories, local searchers used general search engines (like Google Maps or Yahoo Local) rather than more specialized local search sites or online yellow pages.
- Searchers were significantly more likely to access mobile content in 2009 compared with the prior year, up 40% due to more sophisticated mobile devices like the iPhone, Android and Blackberry.
Take aways for small business owners?
- Make sure you are listed in the local directories for Google, Yahoo and Bing at the very least
- You’d better have a website with a clear call to action on the home page
- Your website had better be optimized for local search results in Google, Yahoo and Bing
- Your website should look good on a mobile device
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Thanks for the info and the tips.