Do you still think that a listing on the yellow pages is enough for prospects to find your local business? If so, this is a wake-up call. The truth is this: paying customers are finding more and more ways to research products and services in their area. Widespread Internet access and mobile devices enable customers to find what they need instantly, on the go, and with high buying intent. This also comes with the high propensity to share experiences online with friends. If your business is not capitalizing on this shift, then you are losing out. Watch our video now: Online Trends Affecting Your Local Business Local businesses that serve a specific geographic area can no longer rely on simply placing their listing on yellow pages. Consumers are going beyond traditional methods of searching for products and services in their area. Here are some trends that you need to know: Local Searches on tools like Google Places and Bing Local grew by 144% between 2011 and 2012 (comScore) 86% of tablet owners made a purchase from their recent tablet-based local search (MarketingSherpa) 72% of smart phone owners made a purchase from their recent smart phone based local search (MarketingSherpa) 78% of all Internet users conduct product research online before making a local purchase (Pew Internet) 80% of users stated they have changed their minds on making a purchase because of a bad review they read online (Cone Communications) These are trends that your business simply cannot afford to ignore. The Shift – How Prospects Are Looking for You Based on the trends above, you’ll see that consumers are no longer dependent on print listings and other traditional media to find businesses they need. They are using the Internet and their mobile devices to quickly locate shops. In fact, a survey […] Read more »