Google: Local searches lead 50% of mobile users to store visits

Searches with local intent are more likely to lead to store visits and sales within a day. New Google research found that 50% of mobile users are more likely to visit a store after a local search, compared to 34% of tablet or PC users.
Google also says that once these people are in a store, they are more likely to buy something, as 18% of local searches result in sales, compared to 7% for non-local searches.
New research from Google focuses on local search intent and results — what information people retrieve when they perform a local search, on what specific devices, and how local searches influence their decisions and purchasing behavior.

Participants in the study voluntarily completed an online survey or logged their smartphone searches and in-store activity through a mobile diary.
The Google survey found that four out of five respondents used search engines to conduct local searches, with 88% using smartphones and 84% using a PC or tablet.

According to the study, respondents searched during work hours to determine directions to a local store, to see if a product was in stock, or to find the address of a local store.

Consumers say they would rather shop in-store than online when:
• Know they are near a store (30%)
• Get products faster (35%)
• Better prices (31%)
15% of in-store activity is related to searching for a product or comparing prices on a smartphone.
More than 60% of respondents said they found local information in ads, including:
• 73% of smartphone users say location is very important in advertising, while 78% of PC and tablet users say the same.
• 77% of PC and tablet users also said that phone number is important, compared to 70% of smartphone users.
To improve the ad experience, those surveyed said they would like to see ads customized based on their location: 70% of PC and tablet users and 61% of smartphone users said they would like to see ads customized to their surroundings.

Local advertising can also win over unexpected consumers: 19% of respondents have visited an unplanned store and made a purchase based on a local ad.

In a blog post, Google offers some suggestions for making local ads more targeted:
• Optimize for the consumer’s location. Advertisers can reach more consumers by starting with a broader geographic area, such as the entire United States, and then using local bid adjustments to fine-tune for specific regions or zip codes.
• Help consumers find what they need. Make it easier for people to find the information they need most. Simply attaching address information, phone number or adding a click-to-call button on the right side of the ad can help consumers take action faster.
• Attract shoppers close to your store. Use radius bidding to target shoppers near your store and build attribution models for local searches