Trends Shaping Local Search in 2014

© comScore, Inc. Proprietary.
Trends Shaping Local Search in
2014

© comScore, Inc. Proprietary. 4
Presenters
Mike Pycha
Executive Director
Neustar Localeze
Gregg Stewart
President
15miles/Geary LSF
Chelsea Heltai
Senior Analyst
comScore
Danielle Zazula
Director, cMS
comScore
Greg Sterling
Senior Analyst
Opus Research

comScore 2 Million Person Global Panel
Comprehensive View of Digital Consumer Behavior
Online
Advertising
Video
Search
Demo-
graphic
Profiles
Online
Behavioral
Profiles
E-Commerce
Website and
App Usage
PC
Smart
phone
TV
Tablet
Gaming
POS
Server
V0113

▶  Fast, easy, cost effective way for businesses to manage their online identities"
▶  Reseller programs to help your clients manage their local search proﬁles"
▶  Accurate, consistent business identities for search & mobile platforms !

Introduction & Background
comScore analyzed the behavior, attitudes, and
intentions of online local business searchers.
Study Design: Overall study design leverages both a
quantitative survey and behavioral data from comScore’s
U.S consumer panel.
- Survey Design: The survey study consists of a
targeted sample of over 3,000 users of local business
Internet searchers, broken into 3 search categories:
Internet Yellow Pages, Local Search Sites, and Portal
Search Sites
- Behavioral Data: comScore provides additional
analysis of total web search activity, local web search
activity, and local mobile content consumption.

Topics for Today
v  Greg Sterling: The State of Local Search
v  The Increase of Multi-Platform Searchers
v  Local Searcher Needs by Device
v  The Role of Site Category in the Local
Search Ecosystem
v  Local Search by Business Category
v  Key Findings
v  Q & A

1. Greg Sterling’s Introduction to
the State of Local Search

Why Local Matters: Money + Impact
•  E-commerce is outpacing
traditional retail spending
growth
•  E-Commerce accounted for 7%
of total US retail spending*
•  Offline spending on products
and services account for the
remaining 93%*
•  Offline spending is increasingly
impacted by internet/search
* Source: US Census Bureau (February 2014)

Mobile Search = Higher Local Volumes
•  Google: Mobile search volume
(globally) may surpass PC
search query volume this year
•  Roughly 40% to 50% of mobile
search carries a local intent
(Google, Microsoft)
As search shifts to mobile, it means a higher %
of location-based queries/lookups

Local Search Study Since 2007
•  Local is arguably the most important part of the search
market because of its financial impact -- $T
•  Since 2007, Local Search Study has been a benchmark for
marketers and search industry
•  Most comprehensive single study in the market
•  Tracking the evolution of consumer
behavior and cross-platform search
•  Helps guide marketers in planning
and allocating their budgets

2. Searchers are interacting with local content on a greater
variety of devices

Change Year-
Over-Year
17.8
19.7 18.6
20.7 20.5 20.2 19.3 19.4 19.0 18.5 19.1 17.9
10.0
9.4
8.9
10.3 10.6 10.2
10.3 10.7 10.4
9.7 9.2
8.8 8.3
18.1
Dec-
2013
28.3
Oct-
2013
26.8
Nov-
2013
26.4
Jun-
2013
29.6
May-
2013
30.3
Apr-
2013
31.1
Mar-
2013
30.9
Feb-
2013
27.5
Sep-
2013
28.2
Aug-
2013
29.5
Jan-
2013
29.1
Dec-
2012
27.8
Jul-2
013
30.1
Search EnginesNon-Search Engines
2012
212.6
347.7
230.9
2013
116.8
124.6
337.2
-6%
+9%
qSearch
Total Web Searches (Billions)
PC based searches increased slightly year-over-year, driven by an
increase use of search engine websites.

MobiLens
TabLens
+24%
YoY
+60%
YoY
U.S. Total Device Owners Share of Device
Owners that use Device
for Local Search
The mobile phone and tablet audience represents a growing population
with high likelihood of exposure to on-device local search.
PC/Laptop
MobilePhone
Tablet

Satisfaction with Local Search on Device
of those who use each device
As mobile phone and tablet owners gain more experience searching on-device
they are less satisfied. There is an opportunity for improving their experience.
Understanding what drives
mobile phone and tablet search
is the key to improving
satisfaction.

3. Mobile phone and
tablet searchers do
not want to be
overwhelmed
with content

Reasons for Using Device for Local Search
of those who use each device
Mobile Phone
increased 4 pts Y/Y
Tablet increased 6 pts
Y/Y
Mobile phone and tablet search is driven by a need for information on the go.
Low price points influence their penetration and competitive edge over PCs.

Importance of Depth of Information by Device
% that claim it is important, top 2 on a 7 pt scale of those who use each device
Mobile phone and tablet searchers place the same level of importance on depth
of information as PC/Laptop searchers.
-2 pts
-7 pts

Primary Information Sought on Local Search
based on last local search
Make address/directions easy to find to satisfy mobile phone searchers. Give
tablet searchers the information needed to compare you to your competitors.

The majority of mobile searchers believe mobile site design is important. Sites
must provide easy access to the information that searchers demand.
of those who search
locally on their mobile
phone believe
mobile site
design is
important
Full Site Mobile Design Mobile App

Device
Essentials
Working Hours
Share of Device Traffic by Time of Day
Tablet search function could be influenced by time. 44% of tablet traffic
occurs after 5PM, when users are less able to reach brick-and-mortar stores.

4. Mobile phone based
search drives
in-store
purchases $
$

Source: comScore custom research - 15miles/Neustar Localeze Local Search Usage Study
Did you make a purchase from the local business?
% of Searches that Resulted in a Purchase
Compared to other devices, mobile phones have the highest conversion rate.
Nearly 80% of mobile phone searches end in a purchase.
Share of tablet
searches that end in a
purchase decreases
as its search function
becomes comparative
in nature.

Did you make a purchase from the local business?
Location of Purchase
based on last local search, of those who made a purchase
Nearly 3 out of every 4 mobile phone searches that end in a purchase bring
customers into brick-and-mortar stores.

60% 63%
45%
14%
13%
27%
20% 19% 22%
7% 6% 6%
PC/Laptop Mobile
Phone
Tablet
Within a few hours A day A few days A week or more
How much time passed between when you finished researching the local business online and when
you made your final purchase? (Don’t Know removed from base)
Time Between Research and Purchase
based on last local search, of those who made a purchase
3 out of 5 PC/Laptop and mobile phone searches that end in a purchase are
made within a few hours of the research process.

5. Searches on Portal,
IYP, and Local Sites
have a similar
chance of
ending in a
purchase $
$
$

Share of Searches Ending in a Purchase
Share of searches that end in a purchase has capped out at 64% for IYP and
Local Sites. Portal Sites are still catching up to this rate.

Expected Business Information Available on Site
Searchers know to go to IYP Sites for high level information (telephone
numbers, addresses) and Local Sites for maps/directions.

Branded vs. Independent Local Business Searches
IYP offers a unique insight into local businesses. As such, it has the highest
share of searches for independent businesses.
Size of business is not an
excuse for lack of Portal
presence.
50% of independent business searchers and
49% of branded business searchers on Portal Sites
expect to find the businesses website

6. Local searchers interact with different
categories of businesses
restaurants
health &
fitness
shops
in unique ways

23% 23%
Shops 22% 22%
Services 20% 19%
Health/Fitness 10% 10%
Entertainment 7% 10%
Financial 5% 5%
Travel 5% 3%
Please select what type of business you were looking for during your last local business search at <<INSERT 2>>?
Restaurants and shops were the most common local search categories. Top
search categories remain consistent over the past year.
2012 2013
Category of Local Search

From what device did you do your last online local business information search?
Category of Local Search
Each device has a skew in category of local search. Businesses should
consider what device appeals to their audience when marketing.

Device Time of Use and Category of Search Suggests to…
Advertise… On… During…
PC/Laptops Work Hours
Restaurants
Mobile
Phones
The Evening
The Evening
Health &
Fitness
Tablets
Entertainment

In your last search on <<INSERT2>> did you have a specific local business in mind?
Marketing efforts that drive health & fitness, restaurant, and financial
consumers is impactful as they tend to search with a specific business in mind.
% of Local Searches for a Specific Business

in conclusion…

1.  Searchers are interacting with content on a greater variety of devices
o  Over the past year smartphone ownership has increased 24% and tablet ownership
60%. Most use these devices for local search.
2.  Mobile phone and tablet searchers do not want to be overwhelmed with
content
o  Mobile phone and tablet searchers demand different information. Address/Location is
the top piece of information that mobile searchers need, while tablet searchers are
looking for comparative information that allows them to find a business.
3.  Mobile phone based search drives in-store purchases
o  78% of searches made on a mobile phone end in a purchase – most of which are made
in store.
4.  Searches on Portal, IYP, and Local Sites have a similar chance of ending in a
purchase
o  Over 60% of searches end in a purchase.
5.  Local searchers interact with different categories of businesses in unique
ways
o  Businesses should consider these different methodologies when determining how to
market their brand.

© comScore, Inc. Proprietary.
www.comscore.com
www.facebook.com/comscoreinc
@comScore
Questions?
Danielle Zazula
dzazula@comscore.com
Chelsea Heltai
cheltai@comscore.com

Trends Shaping Local Search in 2014

Recommended

Recommended

More Related Content

What's hot

What's hot (19)

Similar to Trends Shaping Local Search in 2014

Similar to Trends Shaping Local Search in 2014 (20)

More from Neustar, Inc.

More from Neustar, Inc. (11)

Recently uploaded

Recently uploaded (20)

Trends Shaping Local Search in 2014