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While Local Search accounted for only $162 million of the search pie in 2004,
The
Kelsey Group estimates this will swell to $3.4 billion by 2009. The
growth of broadband the last 3 years has contributed to all online ad spending,
and will continue to fuel the development of Local Search - according to many
experts. In July 2005, it was estimated that 25% of all online searches
were local in nature. We all need to find things like houses, dentists,
doctors, and more.
In another independent study
posted in the
McKinsey Quarterly, direct
retailers with physical stores captured 52 percent of Internet sales in 2003,
while those without stores garnered just 31 percent. Online retailing, says the
report, generated $90 billion in revenues for US retailers in 2004, compared
with just $8 billion in 1998. So the combination of a "brick-n-mortar" store
front with online promotion provides a great formula for success. Most of
us can relate to this concept as we all may have shopped for a car online, and
then went to a dealer to drive one - and maybe buy one.
Some industries have matured on the Internet, and Local Search advertising is
too costly because they are competing with huge companies who have much larger
marketing budgets. But for many service oriented local businesses, this is
not the case. Online local search marketing can be much more cost
effective than a national search campaign. If you have a questions as to
how Local Search might help your business, contact us through the
Contact Us form on this site. |
