With all the ways available to people to learn about local businesses, search engines on the internet are still the most popular.
According to a January, 2011 national survey by the Pew Research Center’s Project for Excellence in Journalism and Internet & American Life Project, produced in association with the John S. and James L. Knight Foundation, Where People Get Information About Restaurants and Other Local Businesses, “The internet is the source that people most rely on for material about the local business scene and search engines are particularly valued. Newspapers and word of mouth also rank high as sources.”
The survey interviewed 1,087 respondents by phone in either English or Spanish. Among the 60% of respondents who get information about local businesses, they are likely to be tech-users with a college education who earn upwards of $75,000 a year, use the internet, and own a cell phone. They also tend to be “news junkies,” as the survey identifies them, who use their cell phones to search news and information about local businesses. The sources they use to get information about local businesses include (page 11):
Internet: 47% say some kind of online source is the one they most rely upon.
Newspaper: 30% say they most rely on newspaper material either in printed form or the website of their local newspaper for local business informationWord of mouth: 22% say they rely on other people most of all for news and information about local businesses
Local TV: 8% say they rely on TV for news about local businesses – either broadcasts or the stations’ websites
Local radio: 5% of adults say they rely on local radio
So what does this mean for local business owners? Building an online presence – including your website, social media sites, and other topical specialty sites – that ranks well in search engines for the key terms relevant to what you offer is critical to your on-going marketing for new business development and growth potential. The objective is to create compelling, internet searchable content so you are visible online to your targeted buyers whether they use their computer, mobile phone, or tablet to search for local businesses.
