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Local Search Marketing

Study Proves Local Search On The Increase

If your small business has not been taking local search marketing seriously hopefully by the end of this article you will have a clearer idea of why you really need to be focusing on it.

In October 2009 tmp directional marketing conducted a study in the US that showed 83 percent of people carrying out a local search went on to contact those businessess offline, with 46 percent of making contacts over the phone and 37 percent visiting the businesses in person. It also found that half of all local business searchers conducted online went on to make a purchase from the local business they found.

So just how local is local? Well, another key finding in the tmpdm report showed that nearly two-thirds of people surveyed stated they expected their search results to reveal businesses available within 15 mile radius of their home or place of work. What does that matter if the research is US based? Well, the trend is very similar in the UK too. You only have to look at the increase in directories helping people to search locally like "the best of" and "city local" to know that local search is on the increase.

Rachel Rosmarin wrote an article in 2006 called "think local" that appeared on Forbes.com and stated :

"Internet--searches that include geographic information like a state, city or ZIP code--should be booming. Research shop the Kelsey Group estimates the sector generated $3.4 billion last year, but it could grow to $13 billion by 2010."

What does that mean for you as a local business? It means that now in 2011 the search engines are taking local search marketing seriously. They want to make sure you can benefit from it because then you are more likely to use their local search marketing services and advertising. It also means that right now as you read this someone in North London is looking for a massage therapist in Crouch End and they won't find you because your business is not online!

I have spent the last two years following this trend and right now although most of the research is based on USA figures here are some of the things that have been reported:

25% of internet searches have a purely local, commercial focus (Kelsey-Bizrate)
74% of Internet users perform local searches (Kelsey Group)
90% of online commercial searches result in offline bricks and mortar purchases (comScore)
82% of local searchers follow up offline by visiting the business, phone call or purchase (TMP/comScore)
61% of local searches result in purchases (TMP/comScore)
54% of Internet users would rather use the Internet and local search then phone books (comScore)

How can you make sure you local business is found by local UK searchers?

You need to build an online presence that is optimised to do just that. Not only in the words it uses on the page people read but also by the keywords and other phrases that you add to the "back end" of your web properties.

If that sounds hard or confusing don't worry because we can show you how to do it yourself using our local marketing toolkit or we can do the work for you through our online business marketing services.

You can get an idea about some of the work your local business needs to undertake by reading a selection of our free best practice guides including:

How to develop your local keyword phrases

Content creation guide

Guide to blogging

And other ones that will be added on a regular basis.

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