HubSpot put together a nice report of 16 Stats the Prove the Importance of Local SEO. Click the link for the full list.
You’re not going to get any arguments from anyone at Native Gains about the importance of local SEO. We’ve seen the right strategy (when executed well) significantly change the trajectory of businesses and the business owners’ lives in process.
Here are 4 of the stats that stood out and why.
97% of people learn more about a local company online than anywhere else. (Source: SEO Tribunal)
We live in a world where information is always at our fingertips. We carry around mini computers that influence our lives more than automobiles. 97% of people learn more about a local company online than anywhere else. It’s the go-to #1 place for people trying to find more information about your company. If the information they are looking for isn’t readily available then it’s likely not going to end up with a visit to your store. If that’s not enough to solidify the size of the opportunity, well, let’s continue.
88% of searches for local businesses on a mobile device either call or visit the business within 24 hours. (Source: Nectafy)
When people look up local businesses on their mobile device they are either on the move or will be soon enough with that same device attached to their hip. If you’re able to catch the eye of the prospective customer this stat shows how quickly you can capture your reward.
78% of location-based mobile searches result in an offline purchase. (Source: SEO Tribunal)
But what about the e-commerce giants? We hear how Amazon, Walmart, and the like, make truck fulls of money, are changing consumer behavior, killing to small local business, etc.
People are STILL shopping in store and in person. If you’re worried about online companies taking your business there are ways to position yourself to better compete against them and win those customers over. While the fight for the same wallets of local patrons may be more competitive with online options in the mix, the battle is far from over and there are many people, who for various reason, prefer to make purchases in person.
“Near me” or “close by” type searches grew by more than 900% over two years. (Source: Chat Meter)
The amount of transactions that take place offline is still much larger than online. And it’s exciting to hear how more people are searching for local businesses every year!
Look at “near me” or “close by” searches over the last few years. If you’re not optimized to show up for local search phrases you are missing out on quite a few eyeballs that are just a stones throw away from your establishment. Start really local, dominate the your direct community, and expand from there. If you show up for the “near me” results and continue to implement best practices you should eventually show up in larger geographic searches as well as long as it is within the geographic area have the ability to service.