Every day consumers use local search to find products or services in their area.
This makes local SEO a necessity for businesses that want to attract more customers. Whether you own a restaurant, a beauty salon, or you are a plumber or a builder, improving your local presence can be one of the best investments that you ever make.
Let’s look at some “near me” search statistics.
Near me” searches have increased by more than 900% in recent years.
of people have used the internet to look up information about a local business.
users conduct searches with local
intent on search engines.
consumers who conduct a local search on their smartphone visit or call a store within a day.
of people who search locally end up making a purchase, whether online or in-store.
Local Search Statistics
A recent survey shows that 72% of people use Google local search to find services, suppliers and products in their local area.
For owners of local businesses, this means that you must have a strong local SEO presence and optimise your Google Business Profile to ensure that you appear at the top of the local listings (the map pack)
Ranking higher in local searches will ensure that your business becomes better known, but it will also massively increase the number of enquiries that you get. Local SEO can be much more effective than advertising, and it can prove to be cheaper in the long run.
The majority of local searches start on a mobile phone, and most consumers go straight to Google. A recent Hubspot survey showed that for more than 63% of people searching for services, products or brands, they started on a mobile devicce. Mobile phones and searches from mobile phones provide the easiest and fastest access to the most trusted local information.
of people find out about businesses near them through online searches
- 96% of people find out about businesses near them through online searches. (FitSmallBusiness)
- 4 out of 5 users conduct searches with local intent on search engines. (Google)
- 71% of marketers make local link-building a priority (Moz)
- 64% of small businesses do have a local SEO presence. (SEO.AI)
- 21% of consumers search for nearby businesses every day, while 32% do so several times a week. (Statista)
6 Mobile Local SEO Statistics
Most local searches start on a mobile phone, and the majority are made on Google. A recent Hubspot survey showed that more than 63% of people prefer using their mobile phones to search for information about services, products and brands. Mobile phones, and searches on mobile phones, provide the quickest, easiest and most trusted local information.
If you run a business that relies on local customers and clients, then you can’t afford not to optimise your local presence. Businesses need to optimise their websites and their Google Business Profiles for mobile searches. You should make it easy for customers to find details like your address, range services, opening hours, and contact number. Here are some statistics that show how important Local Search is:
- 84% of local searches are conducted on mobile (RedLocalSEO)
- 82% of shoppers use “near me” searches on their smartphones while shopping. (Statista)
- 50% of people who searched locally on their mobile visited a store within 24 hours. (Google)
- 72% of people who searched for local information on a smartphone visited a store within 5 miles. (Google)
- 30% of all mobile searches are related to location. (Google)
- 4 out of 5 mobile searches lead to an enquiry or purchase, often within hours. (SearchEngineWatch)
of people use Google Maps to find local businesses, while 12% opt for Apple Maps
The Map Pack (Google Local Search Results)
Appearing in the Map Pack – the 3 or 4 local search results that appear above normal search results can be a game changer for small businesses. The Map Pack appears when a user adds a location to their search, such as “Bakery near me” or “Plumber London”.
Businesses that appear in the Google 3 Pack get far more traffic and therefore more enquiries than those that don’t. One survey suggests that they get 126% more traffic and 93% more user actions like phone calls, clicks, and contact form completions when compared to businesses ranked 4 and below.
This puts into perspective just how important it is for your business to get ranked on the Map pack. Take a look at some other statistics related to the Google 3 pack:
- 88% of people use Google Maps to find local businesses, while 12% opt for Apple Maps. (BrightLocal)
- About 68% of online searchers prefer to click on a local 3-pack. (RedLocalSEO)
- 42% of people who do a local search click on one of the results from the Google 3 Pack. (Backlinko)
- Customers are 2.7 times more likely to trust a business if they see a complete Business Profile on search and Google Maps. (Google)
- When people research nearby businesses, they tend to trust Google the most (66%), followed by Google Maps (45%) and the business’s website (36%). (BrightLocal)
- Most clicks in local search results go to the local pack (44%), followed by organic results (29%) and ads (21%). (RedLocalSeo)
of people read online reviews at least sometimes before deciding on a local business.
The Impact of Reviews
Spoiler alert. It’s huge.
Reviews are a very important factor in how people see your business, and can influence whether someone will visit your website. Businesses that have a lot of good reviews stand out in the business listings, and Google has made no secret of the fact that the number and quality of reviews a business has influences it’s ranking.
As a business owner, you need to actively manage your reviews – both and good, and the occasional bad ones. This demonstrates to customers that you care about their opinions, learn from mistakes, and that you are committed to improving your service.
Customer reviews, whether Google, Facebook, Trustpilot, or whichever platform you concentrate on, are a great way to attract clients. They not only inform potential customers’ perceptions of your business but also improve your search rankings. When people see positive reviews and how you respond to negative ones, they’re more likely to choose you over competitors. Those review wil also help you improve your rankings, so the effort requesting them from clients is with every minute!
Take a look at these interesting Review statistics:
- 98% of people read online reviews at least sometimes before deciding on a local business. (BrightLocal)
- 90% of marketers believe that reviews directly impact rankings in the local pack. (MOZ)
- 89% of consumers say they’re more likely to choose a business that responds to all reviews—whether good or bad. (BrightLocal)
- 75% of consumers indicate that they check online reviews while looking into local businesses (Brightlocal)
- 63% of people say they would lose trust in a business if they mostly see negative reviews. (BrightLocal)
- Nearly half of consumers (49%) put as much trust in online reviews as they do in personal recommendations from their friends or family. (BrightLocal)
- 36% of users check Google reviews to when making purchase decisions. (Statista)
- Among internet users aged 25 to 34, 36% rely on online reviews to research brands and products. (Statista)
