Countless local businesses struggle to remain visible to their target audiences in today's digital marketplace.

Consumers are searching for nearby services with increasing frequency, and if your local business isn't optimized for these searches, you're likely missing out on significant opportunities.

Picture this: a potential customer in your area searches for a product or service you offer. Instead of finding your business, they're presented with your competitors, all because you haven’t leveraged the power of local SEO.

This lead to lost sales and allows your competitors to strengthen their foothold in your market.

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In this comprehensive guide on local SEO, you'll discover compelling statistics, best practices, and actionable insights.

Whether you're a seasoned marketer or just getting started, this article will equip you with the knowledge and tools to elevate your local online presence, attract more customers, and outshine the competition.

The 10 Most Valuable Insights and How To Leverage Them for Business Growth

Before diving deep into the statistics of Local SEO, let's look at the most valuable insights for business owners.

In the table below, you'll find the Editor's Choice of insights along with recommendations on how you can use them for your benefit:

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Leverage these insights to refine your marketing strategies, ensuring you get the most out of your local SEO efforts.

The Power of “Near Me” Searches

Your customers are using Google to find businesses nearby. If your local business isn’t optimized for local SEO, you're missing the primary way customers discover services around them.

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Eye-Opening Local SEO Statistics

• Internet Dependency: 98% of consumers turned to the Internet for local business information in 2022.
• A Massive Opportunity on Google: With 46% of Google's 8.5 billion daily searches being local, businesses have a substantial chance to tap into a vast audience right at their fingertips.
• Online Reviews Matter: 76% of consumers consistently check online reviews when exploring local businesses.
• Dominant Search Channel: 69% of digital traffic arises from local and organic searches.
• Rapid Purchase Decisions: A notable 28% of individuals who search locally end up purchasing within a day.
• Google's Influence: 87% of customers used Google to evaluate local businesses in 2022.
• The Google Map Pack Lure: 42% of local searches result in clicks on the Google Map Pack.

Trends in Local SEO Over the Years

If you're still unsure about local SEO, these revealing stats will hopefully give you clarity and show how focusing on local searches is relevant to you:

• Daily Dependency: In 2019, one-third of online consumers daily searched for local businesses.
• Rising Online Searches: BrightLocal’s 2023 survey indicates that online local business searches spiked to 98% in 2022 from 90% in 2019.
• The Power of Reviews: Brands have noticed a significant link between their online reviews and their standings in local search results. Specifically, 90% have observed how reviews directly impact their local rankings.
• Millennials’ Behavior: Reviewtrackers' 2021 research revealed that 42% of millennials visit a business after a local search, especially when mobile.

Insights into Local Business Behavior

Focusing on local SEO generally has enormous potential since many businesses still neglect to optimize for local searches.

• Physical Presence: 61% of shoppers favor local businesses with both physical locations and online presence.
• SEO Popularity: According to Brandmuscle's 2020 research, 46% of local partners use SEO, and 79% find it effective.
• Optimization Gap: 58% of businesses still don't prioritize local SEO. With the competition set to intensify, now is the opportune moment to focus on local SEO and establish a competitive edge.
• The Traffic and Lead Challenge: While only a third of businesses emphasize local SEO, 61% cite generating traffic and leads as their top concern.

Local Search vs. Paid Ads

Why not just pay for ads? Here’s why:

• Organic Wins: A 2018 study showed organic results get the most clicks.
• Rapid Search Trends: “Where to buy” + “Near me” searches surged 200% between 2017 and 2019.
• Local and Organic Search has a 22% session share and gives the highest ROI with the most page views per session (compared with other channels).
• Astounding Returns: A staggering 40% of local SEO campaigns boast an ROI of 500% or more.
• The Value of Online Reputation: Your online reputation improves your brand's value. If you've cultivated a positive online image, consumers are prepared to pay a premium—up to 22% more—for your local products or services.

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Google Maps and Business Listings Insights

Make your business findable:

• Accuracy Matters: Half of all business owners have encountered errors in their local business listings. Such discrepancies can not only frustrate potential customers but can also dent your standing in search engine rankings.
• Actions Triggered by Google Business Profiles: Diving into the utility of Google Business Profile listings, 56% result in website visits, 24% in calls, and 20% lead to direct searches.
• Google Map Pack Engagement: 42% of local searches lead to clicks on the Google Map Pack.
• Mobile App Popularity: Google Maps is the 4th most used smartphone app.
• Reviews Influence: 87% read online reviews for local businesses, but only 48% consider companies with less than four stars.
• Trusted Review Platforms: 89% trust Google, 48% Facebook, and 32% Yelp.

Mobile SEO: Your Customers are on the Go

You may spend a lot of time at a desktop, but your potential customers search for products and services whenever they need to or have the time, which is often on the go.

• Global Data Traffic: 64% comes from mobile devices.
• US Mobile Searches: 56% sought local businesses via mobile browsers in 2019, and using mobile browsers has only increased since.
• Mobile CTR: Mobile search results have an 85% higher click-through rate than desktop.
• High Conversion Rates: Mobile searches with local intent are especially significant, with 80% leading to conversions. This implies that the majority of local searchers have a clear intent: they're ready to take action.

Local SEO is Your Shortcut to More Traffic and Leads

Local SEO is more than a strategy; it’s the way to connect with your community. Whether you’re a lawyer, retailer, or any local business, focusing on Google searches with local intent is crucial.

Read more: Beyond the 4 Types of Search Intent: Think Outside the Boxes

Let these stats guide your efforts, and remember to leverage the powerful SEO tools available online – there's no reason to lift the burden alone.