Search engines are now the #1 resource used by consumers looking for products and services from local businesses.

Nearly 9 out of 10 people use search engines to find local businesses from which to shop – more than 1 billion local searches every month. Local business owners who market themselves on search engines are in the best position to sustain and grow their companies. An entire generation has now grown up in the Internet age, rarely considering traditional offline advertising resources for their local information needs.  85% of 18-24 year olds in this survey rely on search engines, and even 67% of those over the age of 65 look to search engines.  No matter the age of your business clientele, search engines are the primary resource used to find your business.

When shopping for a product or service, consumers say they use the following sources to find a local business from which to buy:

  • Internet search engines such as Google, Yahoo! or MSN
  • Yellow Pages telephone directory
  • White Pages telephone directory
  • Consumer review Web sites

Consumers use the Web to research purchases and then buy from local businesses.

  • Although Internet usage continues to increase, over 72% of survey participants prefer to stay within a 20-minute drive of their homes to reach a business.
  • The Web isn’t just for e-Commerce. 78% of consumers have researched a product or service online only to make the purchase offline from a local business.

Article produced by WebVisible, Inc. Contact: Charles Teed 949.517.9024

http://www.webvisible.com

One Response to “Why Search Matters To Local Businesses”

  1. paul says:

    Our main problem with local search, in search engines, is when a company’s headquarters is in another state. They may service the area being searched and they may be the best at what they do.. but it does not seem to matter, unless you show up on Local Search. Maybe this will help bring back the local Mom-and-Pop shops?

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