If you own a local business, you already know how important it is to rank in local search results. With the internet becoming the primary source consumers rely on for local business information, not appearing in local search is tantamount to professional suicide.
In this article, we evaluate six key local SEO stats to prioritize when it comes to local search. For each statistic, we have also included actionable steps you can take and resources for further investigation.
1. Local search drives 50% of mobile users to a store within a day
Our research on local search behavior reveals that local searchers are ready to take action. According to their findings, “50% of consumers searching locally on a smartphone visited a store within a day, and 34% of consumers searching on a PC/tablet did the same.” , meaning that your ranking in local search directly affects your in-store traffic.
Here are some tips to ensure you rank well for local search terms.
- Register your business on Google My Business and make sure your profile is complete.
- Make sure your NAP (name, address, phone number) is consistent across all channels. This includes your website, social media profiles, review sites and directory listings.
- Use the local business schema markup to help Google identify and display your location.
- Use local keywords in URLs, heading tags, title tags, and content where appropriate.
For further reading:
2. Over 60% of consumers have used local information in advertising
In the same research referenced above, Google found that consumers have clear preferences when it comes to seeing ads that are tailored to their surroundings. They discovered:
- 67% of smartphone users want ads customized by city and zip code, and 61% want ads tailored to their immediate surroundings.
- 61% use their address or phone number in their ads.
- 68% use the ‘Directions’ or ‘Call’ button.
If you want to target your ads to local consumers, target your ads by location and use location extensions. AdWords gets your contact information from your Google My Business settings, so make sure it’s set up the way you want it to appear in your ads.
For further reading:
3. 88% of consumers trust online reviews as much as personal recommendations
Local businesses need to realize the importance of positive online reviews, as highlighted by this statistic from BrightLocal’s 2014 Local Consumer Review Survey. More and more consumers turn to Google for local business recommendations and referrals.
Some of the top review sites I recommend for local businesses include:
- Yelp
- Google+ local
- trip advisor
- Angie’s list
- urban spoon
- Yahoo!local
A good place to start when deciding where to list your business is to search for your business name and the keywords you think potential customers are searching for. See which review sites appear most prominently in these searches and get to work.
For further reading:
4. Company address/location is the primary information local searchers search for
We’ve already talked about the importance of using local information in your ads. However, it is equally important to include primary contact and location information on your website and social media profiles.
According to research by comScore, Neustar Localeze, and agency 15 Miles, address and location are the main pieces of information local searchers look for. Below are other types of information that searchers are looking for.
- Businesses by category (that is, searchers are looking for a particular type of business, but have not yet decided which business to patronize).
- telephone number
- Product or Service (Again, no specific business in mind, I’m looking for a specific product or service.)
- business hours
- Directions
- Coupons and special offers
- Ratings and reviews
Given the demands of local searchers, it’s important to keep your mobile content concise and actionable. Don’t overwhelm mobile users with too much information. Instead, clearly provide the basic information above and provide links to additional content where appropriate.
For further reading:
5. 18% of local mobile searches result in a sale within a day
We’ve already talked about how local searchers are more likely to visit your store, but Google found that these customers are also more likely to actually make a purchase. We also found that one-third of in-store activity occurs just before a consumer visits a store, and 15% of in-store activity is related to product or price comparison searches.
In other words, capturing the local search market means the first dive of consumers who are in the final stages of the buying cycle, empty their wallets and ready to buy. Get these consumers to spend money in your store with mobile coupon campaigns.
Bonus status: Mobile phones have the highest conversion rate compared to other devices.
For further reading:
6. 50% of mobile users prefer mobile browsers over mobile apps
There’s been a lot of talk about mobile optimization, mobile apps, and responsive design ever since Google began including mobile-friendliness as a key ranking factor for mobile search results. However, according to BrightLocal’s latest research, half of mobile users prefer using a mobile internet browser over mobile maps (40%) or mobile apps (only 10%).
If you haven’t optimized your site for mobile, you may have seen a significant drop in search rankings and traffic since April 21, 2015 (the start date of Google’s Mobilegeddon algorithm update). If you’re not sure if your site is mobile-friendly, try Google’s Mobile-Friendly Test.
Bonus status: According to a BrightLocal survey, 38% of consumers are impressed that local businesses have mobile-optimized sites.
For further reading:
final thoughts
The importance of ranking in local search cannot be denied. As we’ve already seen, local searches lead to physical store visits and sales. Translation: Higher local search rankings = more traffic and revenue.
Make sure your site and content are optimized for local SEO and get your business listed on local review sites. Include your contact information prominently on your website and social media profiles, and use location extensions for paid advertising. Finally, make sure your site is optimized for viewing on mobile browsers.
Did any of the above statistics surprise you? Why or not?
The opinions expressed in this article are those of the guest author and not necessarily Search Engine Land. Staff authors are listed here.
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About the author
Jayson DeMers is the founder and CEO of EmailAnalytics, a productivity tool that connects to your Gmail or G Suite account.
