Local searches gives way to more purchases than non-local searches, this is what Google says. According to a recent study by Google, 50% of mobile users and 34% of computer/tablet users are more likely to visit a store after conducting a local search online. To jazz up the information, the data also shows that 18% of the local searches on smartphone lead to a purchase within a day as compared to the 7% of non-local searches.
The study aims to understand the behavior of local searches across devices, like what information do consumers want when they search for things nearby, and what does this mean for advertisers. What Google discovered was that 4 in every 5 consumers use search engines to find local information like store address, business hours, product availability and directions. These consumers also wanted ads customized to their city, zip code or immediate surroundings. Since consumers prefer location based ads, Google says that businesses should use location extensions and location bid adjustments to fine-tune bids for specific areas.
The study says that consumers search for local information throughout the purchase process with 37% and 40% making a search on their mobile phones and computers respectively even post purchase. While 51% of mobile users search while they are on the go, the maximum number of people search for local information while at home (53%). Interestingly, 41% people said that they search while they are in-store.
Because consumers are searching for local information everywhere, on every device and every point of purchase, Google recommends advertisers to ensure that their product description, address and directions to their store appears in their ads across all devices and to make sure that their locations are accurate in Google Places.
Elucidating what factors influence consumers to purchase in-store, Google said that 30% of consumers would buy in-store rather than online if they knew that they are close to a store. 35% would go to a store if they would get a product quickly. While 31% will discard online shopping to go for in-store purchases if they know that they are getting better prices.
72% of consumers who searched for local information on their mobile visit a store within 5 miles. This shows that consumers conducting local searches are more likely to convert than those conducting non local searches. As such, Google suggests businesses to use radius bidding to reach consumers near stores and build an attribution model for local searches.
