A recent report on Local Search Usage: Bridging the Caps, From Search to Sales provides small business owners with insightful information that is important to their business for maintaining a successful local marketing strategy. TMP Directional Marketing and 15 Miles commissioned comScore to conduct research on consumer trends in selecting a local business for locally available products and services. This resulting report specifically focuses on the continuing shifts in consumer behavior, opinions and marketing media selection within the framework of local search and was conducted by observing both online behavior and through a comprehensive survey of more than 4,000 local business owners.

So, as a small business owner, what are the key points that you should take note of from this report? Here are a few key points”

The majority of consumers go online first to search for a local business. More than 70% of consumers look to the Internet to find those local products and services. Furthermore, more than half of local business searchers spend the majority of their time on searching online.

SMB Key fact: 7 out of every 10 opportunities the small business owner has to sell is through the Internet.

Consumers continue to use Search Engines but other media sources are quickly gaining popularity and making an impact on buying decisions. Search Engines still have the majority of searches with greater than a 60% online search share, however non-search engine interaction (social media, mobile marketing, online directories, etc.) are growing at a rate 3 times as fast as search engine usage.

SMB Key fact: It is time to start thinking how to effectively engage not only on the search engines, but in the “new media” that is gaining use and effectiveness.

Those who do “local search” are more apt to buy. A greater percentage of sales happen among local searchers looking for nearby businesses. Generally these searchers are more likely to transition from searcher to buyer than the general searcher.

SMB Key fact: Someone who is looking online locally is more likely to take action and buy local shortly after his or her search.

An incomplete search presence will stop that sale.  Consumers tend to be savvy searchers, and as such tend to be less tolerant of businesses that do not have a comprehensive search presence. In fact, 1 in 3 searchers abandon their searches because of incomplete information by local businesses.

SMB Key fact:  It is CRITICAL that the local business develop and maintain a complete search presence. This includes more than simply the search engines and needs to be comprehensive in terms of online directories, social media and mobile marketing.

Even though the Internet dominates, print is still an important part of marketing. Traditional Yellow Pages are still a good secondary source of information,.

SMB Key fact: Local Yellow Pages advertising can still be of value, but should be a secondary strategy.

The bottomline; local businesses must develop a search presence across various platforms, from general search to social media. Failure to do so could result in missing a major segment of your target market.