Last year comScore released The U.S. Mobile App Report, which revealed that digital media time on mobile, which included activity on smartphones and tablets, has surpassed that of desktops. Often, people are using their mobile devices to search for things nearby. For example, maybe you’re out with friends, you’re getting hungry and you want to find the closest pizza restaurant so you search for it on your phone. The growth of mobile searches has also led to an increase in local searches, which is why it’s more important now than ever to have your business listed in the top local directories.
Get FREE Local Search Visibility
Yes, you read that right! Creating local listings on popular directories, such as Google My Business, Bing Places for Business, Foursquare and Manta is free. Basic information that your listing includes is your business’s name, address, phone number, hours of operation, a link to your website, a few photos, and a short description. When local listings include as much detail as possible and the description is optimized, your listing can show up in maps and in organic searches for local based search queries.
People Search with Location in Mind
A recent Google study, Understanding Consumers’ Local Search Behavior, reported that four out of five consumers use search engines to find different types of local information. When consumers are using their smartphones to conduct these local searches, 54% are looking for business hours, 53% want directions to a store, and 50% are seeking a local store’s address. Since people are searching for specific local information, it’s important that your business’s information is easy to find and is accurate, otherwise searchers will choose the next closest store instead.
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| Stat from Understanding Consumers’ Local Search Behavior |
Local Searchers Often Take Action
Google’s study on local search behavior also found that consumers are quick to act after they conduct local searches on mobile devices. 50% of consumers visited a store within a day of their local search on their smartphone, and one in three searches on smartphones occurred right before consumers visited a store. When people do local searches on mobile devices, they’re likely looking for a specific piece of information, such as details on a product or how close your store is to the searcher, so it’s important that your business information is available.
Creating and managing your business’s local listings can become complex and time-consuming. Do you need help making the most of your store’s local listings? E-Power can help put your store on the map…pun intended! Contact us today for more information about Local Search Marketing.
