The importance of local business optimization in the Philippines is almost impossible to underestimate or undersell, especially with the advent of mobile search. On The Map PH’s extensive consumer research has shown that the majority of consumers search for a local business online on a regular basis with 54% of people searching at least one time per month in 2017.
Conversely, there is a significant decrease in the number of people who never search for a local business online — now just 3% of people.
As Paul Sanders from The Content Marketing Institute explains, “When consumers are using mobile devices, they are more likely to be conducting local searches, and that traffic drives leads and sales.”
The Rise of Hyperlocal Search
We already know that consumers hit the internet when they’re searching for a product or service. We also know that thanks to growth in mobile internet usage and the development of “micro moments,” this hunt increasingly take place ‘on the go’ and from a mobile device.
When the hunt for a product or service intersects with the convenience of browsing on a mobile device, there is a natural inclination to search for a store or service nearby.
If you have ever driven through a new town and searched for a Starbucks near your location, or been on the hunt for a vet for your pet within a few convenient miles of your home, or even hunted for a local yoga class as part of your new fitness regime, then you’ve contributed to the growing importance of local search.
What’s more, you already have firsthand experience of the factors that drive consumers to search for local businesses.
Search Engine Land columnist, Jim Yu calls this hyperlocal search and has it pegged as a dominant means of local business discovery for 2017.
He says, “Google Trends clearly show a dramatic increase in “near me” queries, particularly since mid-2015. Hyperlocal targeting, or marketing to customers within your area based on their location, has the potential to help brands answer the immediate needs of their prospects.
Google has also been showing signs of pushing people toward hyperlocal. [It] wants to better serve users by personalizing their results based upon their exact location.”
If in the face of this evidence you’re still asking yourself, “Do I need local search?”
Local Search Signals Lead to Potential Customers
Increasingly, there is a tendency for local web searches to turn into cash in the register, making local business optimization a no-brainer.
Interestingly, it’s virtually impossible to separate local search from mobile search habits. According to Google data, 76% of people who search for something nearby on their smartphone visit a related business within a day and 28% of those searches result in a purchase.
What does this mean for your local search strategy? There is a clear correlation between local search and purchase intent so figuring out how to get on Google local search or improve your existing poor local search positions, should be a priority.
So, now comes the hard part — either learning how to do it for a local business or more likely, gaining an idea of how much local business listing costs so you can choose between quotes from optimization consultants and SEO agencies.
So, what now?
Reviews are an increasingly crucial element of the search, sales and buying process. Now more than ever online reviews are used by consumers searching for a local business or service provider. The evidence was overwhelming in our last Local Consumer Review Survey.
- 93% of consumers read online reviews for businesses
- 85% of people trust online reviews as much as a personal recommendation
- 73% of consumers say that positive reviews make them trust a local business more
Your consumer base searches for your local business and it’s vital to include online reviews as part of your local business listing process.
CONTACT US TODAY! and lets get started on driving those new customers to your business
