Google Local Pack and local search ranking, in general, are life savers for small and medium sized businesses. They no longer need to compete with large companies for customers all over the country. Instead, they can aim lower, but more efficiently, at people living in their area.
Local Searches Are On the Rise
At the same time, prospects are also interested in finding products and services close to their home. Thanks to GPS tracking and other geo-location services, they can get recommendations for restaurants, gyms and daycares in their neighbourhood.
The rise of Google local search sessions is also explained by the growing popularity of digital assistants and voice search. Using AI and machine learning, these services identify good matches for any query in terms of relevance and proximity.
Google Local Search Results in Numbers
We believe that local searches are the future of SEO and marketing for small businesses. They rely on a constant flow of clients walking in their stores and placing orders on their site for quick delivery.
To prove this assertion, we have compiled several relevant Google local search statistics. Here they are.
1. Trends for Local Searches
The numbers speak for themselves. According to Think With Google, in just 2 years searches including the phrases “near me” and “to buy/can buy” grew by 500%. Moreover, searches for “open now” and “near me” have increased by 200% in the same period of time.
In fact, in 97% of cases, Google local search helped consumers discover a local business compared to other sources of information. Also, out of all Google searches, 46% are for local information.
2. What Are Users Looking for in Google Local Search?
Moving on to the type of businesses people are looking for in their local area, they all offer everyday use products and services. According to a survey conducted by Uberall, local searches are for:
- 84% food
- 56% entertainment
- 50% banking
- 41% clothing and footwear
- 38% personal care.
3. What Is the Intent of Local Searches?
When people launch a Google local search, they usually have a strong and decided intent. The same survey conducted by Uberall found that the intent for local searches is:
- 63% researching products
- 62% comparing prices
- 56% searching for deals/sales/coupons
- 54% opening hours
- 52% store locations.
At the same time, 86% of consumers use Google Maps to find a store location and 72% of them will visit the store if it is within a 5-mile radius of their location.
4. The Link Between Google Local Search and Sales
So far, you have seen how people use local search to find businesses, products and services. On many occasions, they also visit the stores they found. But you need to know more: do they actually make a purchase? Is the business really getting any profit from ranking high in Google local search results?
The numbers confirm that the answer is yes. Thus:
- 78% of mobile local searches result in an offline purchase;
- 18% of local searches materialise in a sale within 24 hours;
- 28% of local searches will end with a purchase.
As you can note from these statistics, there is a swift response to local search results. Consumers need the products or services now and one in five will make a purchase within a day.
5. Looking Ahead to the Future
Things may be looking bright for Google local search trends now, but is it just a passing fad? The answer is an emphatic no. People will continue to look for businesses nearby, that they can visit or place an order and receive the products quickly and at no delivery cost.
The most relevant prediction in this respect is that by 2021, local sales will reach the total value of US $1.4 trillion only as a result of mobile searches.
By 2020, 50% of all searches will be made by voice, speaking to digital assistants. These queries are likely to be location and time based. In the last two years, there’s been a 150% increase in the terms “now” or “today” in searches. And the trend will be on the rise, as people get accustomed to get what they want here and now.