Key Insights
Essential data points from our research
46% of all searches on Google are seeking local information
97% of people learn more about a local company online than anywhere else
93% of google searches for local businesses display the local 3-pack
98% of consumers read online reviews for local businesses
87% of consumers used Google to evaluate local businesses recently
The average local business has 39 Google reviews
76% of people who search on their smartphones for something nearby visit a business within a day
28% of those searches for something nearby result in a purchase
30% of all mobile searches are related to location
56% of local retailers have not claimed their Google Business Profile listing
Businesses with photos on their profiles receive 42% more requests for driving directions
Businesses with photos receive 35% more click-throughs to their websites
78% of location-based mobile searches result in an offline purchase
72% of computer or tablet users want ads that are customized to their city or zip code
67% of smartphone users want ads customized to their city or zip code
Business Strategy and Operations
- 156% of local retailers have not claimed their Google Business Profile listing
- 2Businesses with photos on their profiles receive 42% more requests for driving directions
- 3Businesses with photos receive 35% more click-throughs to their websites
- 4Only 44% of businesses have claimed their Google Maps listing
- 549% of businesses receive more than 1000 views on Search per month
- 6On average a local business receives 59 actions (clicks/calls) from their Google Business Profile per month
- 764% of local customers use search engines and directories as their main way to find a local business
- 866% of marketers plan to increase their budget for Google Maps ads
- 916% of businesses receive more than 100 calls per month from their Google Business Profile
- 1082% of businesses have not claimed their Bing Places listing
- 11Local inventory ads can drive a 20% increase in click-through rate
- 12100 images is the tipping point where businesses begin to see a significant increase in calls and direction requests
- 13Car Dealerships receive the highest number of calls from GMB, ensuring 44 average monthly calls
- 14Complete and accurate Google Business Profiles get 7x more clicks than those missing information
- 1562% of marketers said their company’s Facebook pages were an effective channel for local marketing
- 1696% of local businesses are found on social media at least once a week
- 1724% of businesses have no social media presence
- 1850% of local businesses have inaccurate online listings
- 1970% of marketers are actively investing in content marketing for local reach
- 20Local businesses are the most victims of phishing attacks due to poor security on directory listings
Interpretation
Think of it as leaving your shop locked with a giant "we exist" sign: over half of local retailers haven't claimed their Google Business Profile and 82% ignore Bing, yet customers increasingly rely on search and social and reward complete, photo-rich listings—photos lift driving-direction requests and click-throughs, complete profiles get seven times more clicks and around 100 images is the tipping point—so by tolerating inaccurate or missing listings and weak directory security businesses are both losing customers and inviting phishing attacks while marketers pour budget into Maps, content, and Facebook to capture that demand.
Conversion and Store Visits
- 178% of location-based mobile searches result in an offline purchase
- 272% of computer or tablet users want ads that are customized to their city or zip code
- 367% of smartphone users want ads customized to their city or zip code
- 470% of consumers will visit a store because of information found in online results
- 576% of local searches result in a phone call
- 6The conversion rate for local directory leads is usually much higher than standard web traffic
- 778% of people who search for a nearby business on their phone visit the business within 24 hours
- 81 in 3 smartphone searches were made right before a store visit
- 919% of local searches result in a sale on the same day
- 1034% of consumers who search for local businesses on a computer or tablet go to a store within a day
- 1160% of American adults use smartphones and tablets to search for local product and service information converts to a visit
- 12Local searchers are ready to act: 50% of mobile users visit stores within one day of searching
- 13Click-through rates for local searches are higher than non-local searches
- 1468% of searchers use the ‘get directions’ or ‘call’ buttons on GMB profiles
- 15A purchase follows 28% of all local searches
- 1632% of consumers visited a store on the same day of search
- 17Buying intent for local queries is extremely high with 80% conversion
- 1857% of consumers say they are more likely to buy from a business that has positive reviews
- 19Store visits from search have increased 35% year-over-year
- 2075% of users have visited a business because they found it on social media
Interpretation
Put simply, local search is a high-intent shortcut from query to cash: people demand city-targeted ads, use call and directions buttons, trust reviews and social media, and often visit or buy within a day.
Local Search Patterns
- 146% of all searches on Google are seeking local information
- 297% of people learn more about a local company online than anywhere else
- 393% of google searches for local businesses display the local 3-pack
- 4Searches for "local" + "business" have grown by more than 80% year over year
- 592% of searchers will pick a business on the first page of local search results
- 6"Where to buy" + "near me" mobile queries have grown by over 200% in the past two years
- 772% of consumers say that search is their first choice to find information on local merchants
- 8Direct searches for a business name account for 16% of views on Google Business Profiles
- 9Discovery searches (categorized searches) account for 84% of views on Google Business Profiles
- 1035% of all clicks on the Google search results page go to the Local Pack results
- 1161% of consumers say they search locally every day
- 12"Open now" searches have tripled in the past two years
- 13Global localization content strategy increases search traffic by 47%
- 1429% of consumers search for local businesses at least once a week
- 15Organic results receive 40% of clicks in local searches
- 1686% of people look up the location of a business on Google Maps
- 1750% of consumers visit a store within a day of their local search
- 1880% of local searches convert
- 19Searches including "tonight" and "today" have grown by 900% over recent years
- 20Over 1 billion people use Google Maps every month
Interpretation
Put simply, with 46% of Google searches seeking local information, 97% of people learning about local companies online, over a billion monthly Google Maps users, explosive growth in "near me," "open now," "today" and "tonight" queries, and the Local Pack and Google Business Profiles capturing a huge share of clicks that convert into visits and sales, a well-executed localized online presence is not optional but the main entrance to your business.
Mobile and Voice
- 176% of people who search on their smartphones for something nearby visit a business within a day
- 228% of those searches for something nearby result in a purchase
- 330% of all mobile searches are related to location
- 461% of mobile searchers are more likely to contact a local business if they have a mobile-friendly site
- 518% of local smartphone searches lead to a purchase within a day
- 658% of consumers have used voice search to find local business information
- 775% of smartphone users expect to get immediate information while using their smartphone
- 8"Near me" searches on mobile have increased by 136% year over year
- 946% of voice search users look for a local business daily
- 1088% of consumer local business searches on a mobile device result in either a call or visit within 24 hours
- 1154% of smartphone users look for business hours
- 1227% of people use voice search on mobile
- 1351% of smartphone users have discovered a new company or product when conducting a search on their smartphone
- 14Mobile devices influence more than $1.4 trillion in local sales
- 1578% of local mobile searches result in an offline purchase
- 1660% of smartphone users have contacted a business directly using the "click to call" option
- 1782% of smartphone shoppers conduct 'near me' searches
- 1833% of people use their smartphone to search for a business location just before going to the store
- 19Voice search results in 3x more local intent queries than text search
- 2053% of mobile site visitors leave a page that takes longer than three seconds to load
Interpretation
Mobile searches are the fast lane to local business: with 'near me' and voice queries surging and users demanding instant, mobile-friendly answers that often lead to calls, visits or purchases within a day, slow or unoptimized sites that lose visitors in three seconds are basically handing customers to competitors and leaving money on the table from more than $1.4 trillion in mobile-influenced local sales.
Reviews and Reputation
- 198% of consumers read online reviews for local businesses
- 287% of consumers used Google to evaluate local businesses recently
- 3The average local business has 39 Google reviews
- 477% of consumers 'always' or 'regularly' read online reviews when browsing for local businesses
- 5A rating increase of one star can boost revenue by 5% to 9%
- 655% of consumers will not use a business if it has a rating of less than 4 stars
- 789% of consumers are highly likely to use a business that responds to all of its online reviews
- 8Only 48% of consumers would consider using a business with fewer than 4 stars
- 973% of consumers only pay attention to reviews written in the last month
- 1067% of consumers will consider leaving a review for a positive experience
- 1140% of consumers will consider leaving a review for a negative experience
- 1285% of consumers trust online reviews as much as personal recommendations
- 13Listings with 5 stars earn 69% of clicks from the Local Pack
- 14Businesses with more than 82 reviews earn 54% more annual revenue than average
- 1594% of consumers say an online review has convinced them to avoid a business
- 16The most important review factor for consumers is the star rating
- 17Fake reviews are a concern for 54% of consumers
- 1859% of consumers look at 2-3 review sites before making a decision
- 193.3 is the minimum star rating of a business consumers would engage with
- 20Responding to reviews correlates with a higher average star rating
Interpretation
Treat online reviews like prime real estate, because 98% of consumers read them and 87% start on Google, and star ratings and review volume drive clicks and revenue; one extra star can raise revenue 5 to 9 percent, five-star listings grab 69% of Local Pack clicks, most people avoid businesses under four stars and worry about fake reviews, 89% are far more likely to use businesses that reply, and companies with lots of recent reviews routinely earn substantially more.
