Ever wonder how some businesses always pop up first when you search for something nearby? That’s thanks to local SEO—the magic that helps businesses like yours get noticed online by local customers.
Local SEO stats are like your secret weapon in this digital game. They give you the numbers you need to make smart decisions, like tweaking your website or using the right words that make Google and other search engines put you at the top. These stats show you how small changes can make a big difference in how many people find and choose your business online.
Stick with us as we dive into these stats and show you how they can boost your business where it counts—right in your neighborhood.
What is Local SEO?
Imagine you own a small cafe or run a plumbing service. Local SEO is all about ensuring that when someone in your neighborhood searches online for something like “best coffee near me” or “plumber nearby,” your business pops up at the top of those search results.
It’s like putting a spotlight on your business so that locals who need your services can easily find you on Google and other search engines. Local SEO uses smart strategies like using local keywords (like “coffee shop in [your neighborhood]”) and having positive reviews from customers.
These tactics help your business stand out when people are looking for exactly what you offer in your area.
So whether you’re brewing coffee or fixing pipes, local SEO helps you connect with nearby customers who are actively searching for your services online.
Local SEO Stats: General Statistics
Running a local business without a local SEO strategy is a big mistake. More people are using Google to search for “near me” services than ever before. If you skip local SEO, you’re missing out on how most customers find local businesses.
Here are some key stats that show why it’s so important to focus on local SEO for your business:
1. Four out of five consumers use search engines for local searches.
2. 76% of “near me” searches result in a visit to a business within a day.
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3. Mobile searches for “open now near me” have jumped by 200%! People are increasingly looking for places that are open right now.
4. Local mobile searches with “to buy” or “can I buy” have increased by 500% in two years.
5. Keywords Everywhere data reveals that all keywords that include “near me” have a huge number of searches. This means local businesses can attract a lot of new customers just from Google searches.
6. Worldwide searches on Google Maps for “shopping near me” have doubled yearly.
7. 46% of all Google searches include local intent.
8. 88% of local searches conducted on mobile devices result in actions such as making phone calls or visiting businesses in person.
9. Top platforms for finding local business information: Google (66%), Google Maps (45%), business websites (36%), Facebook (32%), and Yelp (32%).
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10. For local searches, 42% of people click on one of the top three results in the Google 3-Pack—the section that shows the top three local businesses for a search. Being in that top three is a big advantage.
11. 61% of people searching on their phones are more inclined to reach out to a local business if its website is optimized for mobile devices.
12. 62% of customers won’t consider a business if it doesn’t have a website.
13. 92% of local SEO and marketing professionals report having tried ChatGPT, with other frequently used AI tools including Bard (41%), Jasper (28%), BingGPT (28%), and Copy.ai (22%).
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14. Common services by local marketers include GMB optimization, content creation, SEO audits, citation building, and website optimization.
15. Location-based mobile coupons can increase mobile revenue by up to 9916%.
16. 42% of millennials will visit a local business after a local search, and they are 50% more likely to conduct these searches on the go.
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17. 84% of people often find new products, services, or businesses online. This means being online gives you more chances to attract new customers.
18. The top search result on Google gets almost 27.6% of all clicks. This highlights how important it is to rank at the top of search results.
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Local SEO Stats: Google Maps & Search Statistics
Before diving into the stats, let’s talk about why Google Maps and local searches matter for businesses.
Google Maps, using satellite imagery, is the most popular digital map service worldwide. If you own a local business, optimizing your Google Business Profile is crucial. This is where most of your customers will find you, read your reviews, and decide to buy from you.
Local search marketing is a big opportunity for all kinds of businesses as more consumers turn to the Internet, especially major search engines, to find local products and services.
If you have a physical store, whether it’s a restaurant or any other type of business, local search is a key part of your overall SEO strategy.
Now, let’s dive into some interesting statistics about local SEO:
19. Google Maps is a go-to for over a billion people every month.
20. Five million apps and websites rely on Google Maps Platform core tools weekly.
21. In 2023, Google Maps topped the charts in the U.S. with 21 million downloads, followed by Waze at 9.89 million.
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22. Google Business integrated into Maps lists over 200 million businesses and places, making it a vast directory.
23. In the U.S., 73% of businesses use Google Maps API to boost online visibility and accessibility.
24. Seventy-seven percent of consumers turn to Google for local business info.
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25. Twenty-one percent of Americans look up local businesses online daily, with 32% using Google several times a week.
26. Sixty percent of smartphone users contact businesses directly through search results.
27. A 2016 study by Think With Google found that 28% of nearby searches lead to a purchase.
28. A 2018 study by BrightLocal showed that organic results get the most clicks compared to other types of search results.
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29. Searches for “where to buy” + “near me” grew by over 200% in two years, according to a March 2019 Think With Google report.
30. Milestone Research found that local and organic searches make up 69% of all digital traffic, with local searches alone contributing 22.6% of website traffic.
31. Local traffic is highly engaging, with an average of 3.92 pageviews per session—which is higher than other top-performing channels.
32. Local traffic sees better engagement with a mobile-first approach, using images, FAQs, videos, short headlines, snippets, and clear calls to action.
33. Users rely on Google’s autocomplete suggestions 23% of the time, especially for local and informational searches, making them more likely to click on these suggestions compared to commercial searches.
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Local SEO Stats: Google Business Profile Statistics
Having a Google Business Profile (formerly Google My Business) is crucial for any local business. Yet, many companies fail to claim, complete, or fully optimize their profile.
Searches like “Near Me” have skyrocketed by over 200% recently. If local businesses want to be discovered on Google, it all begins and ends with their Google Business Profile.
Below, we’ve highlighted some impactful statistics that show just how vital your Google Business Profile is for succeeding in local searches.
34. Almost all users (97%) find out about local businesses online, mainly through Google Business Profile panels.
35. According to Keywords Everywhere, “Get Listed on Google” for creating a Google Business Profile receives 166.18 million organic visits each month.
36. If you can get potential customers to engage with your Google Business Profile, there’s over a 50% chance they’ll visit your website.
37. A well-optimized Google Business Profile can attract between 80 and 300 clicks each month.
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38. 64% of customers use the phone number listed on Google Business Profile panels to contact local businesses, and this number is expected to grow.
39. Local businesses typically get around 105 visits to their website every month from verified Google Business Profiles. Industries like Recreation, Hospitality, and Automotive lead in driving website traffic.
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40. Businesses receive about 595 calls per year (around 50 calls monthly) from verified Google Business Profiles.
41. 24% of businesses with verified Google Business Profiles receive more than 50 calls monthly.
42. Local businesses receive 94% of their calls from Google Business Profiles on weekdays.
43. Verified Google Business Profiles receive about 66 direction requests monthly. Recreation and Hospitality businesses get the most direction requests.
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44. More than 5% of people who see your business on Google will book an appointment, fill out a contact form for more information, or make a purchase.
45. Using images in your Google Business Profile has increased revenue per visitor by 17%.
Local SEO Stats: Voice Search Statistics
More and more people are using voice search to look things up online, find local businesses, make buying decisions, and more. When they search for local businesses with their voices—they often take the next step by calling those businesses.
Below, we’ve shared the key statistics that digital marketers need to know to thrive in a world dominated by voice search.
46. One out of every five people (21%) regularly use voice search as part of their weekly routine.
47. The global smart speaker industry was valued at $6.4 billion in 2023. It is expected to grow by 32.5% to reach $110 billion in the next decade.
48. 76% of smart speaker users do local voice searches weekly—with about 46% doing so daily to find information about local businesses.
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49. Users conduct more than one billion voice searches each month, whether for businesses, products, or information.
50. 58% of consumers use voice search to find information about local businesses.
51. 51% of customers use voice search specifically to research restaurants, which are the most commonly searched type of business, though consumers also search for hotels, doctors, and insurance companies.
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52. Voice searches are three times more likely to be used for local queries than text searches.
53. 25% of consumers are open to trying local voice search, even if they haven’t yet.
54. 22% of all voice searches are for local information.
55. Following a voice search, 28% of consumers proceed to call the business they searched for, highlighting voice search’s role in continuing interaction with brands.
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56. 31% of smartphone owners globally use voice search at least once a week.
57. 65% of smart speaker owners feel comfortable using them to make purchases of products and services.
Local SEO Stats: Mobile Statistics
Any local marketing plan should include mobile SEO because most people search for local businesses on their smartphones while on the go. Here are some stats that show why mobile searches are so important:
58. According to Go-Globe, nearly 9 out of 10 people search for a local business on their phone at least once a week.
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59. 82% of smartphone users use a search engine (like Google and Bing) when looking for a local business.
60. More than 3 out of 4 people who search for a local business on their phone visit a physical place within 24 hours. And about 28% of those searches lead to a purchase.
61. 76% of customers who search on smartphones visit a business within a day.
62. Over three-quarters (76% ) of U.S. adults use their smartphones to buy products online.
63. Nearly one-third of Americans purchase something from their smartphones every week.
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64. Three out of four smartphone owners use search first to address their immediate needs.
65. 60% of people who use smartphones contact a business directly from local search results.
66. Local mobile searches are growing about 50% faster than overall mobile searches.
67. 70% of Google search clicks come from phones, while only 3% come from tablets. Meanwhile, 29% of clicks on paid Microsoft Advertising searches come from mobile devices.
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68. Even though most local business inquiries happen online via a mobile device—78% of them result in an offline purchase later.
69. One in three people use their smartphones to search for products before looking for a physical store nearby.
Local SEO Stats: Reviews
Reviews play a crucial role in whether potential customers decide to visit your business. When people check your local profile, like your Google Business Profile, one of the first things they look at is reviews. They want to know about others’ experiences before choosing to support your business. Having a solid strategy to manage reviews is essential for success in local SEO.
Here are some 2024 stats that underscore just how impactful and valuable reviews are for your business’s local online presence.
70. 90% of shoppers read reviews before buying something.
71. 94% of people say reviews have influenced them to avoid a business. Remember, reviews have the power to do both—persuade or dissuade.
72. According to Keywords Everywhere, the keyword “Google reviews” has a high search volume of 550,000, highlighting the trend of consumers checking reviews online before making purchases.
73. According to BrightLocal, 98% of customers used the internet to find information about local businesses in 2022, up from 90% in 2019.
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74. 88% of consumers are more likely to visit or use a business if they see the owner responds to all reviews.
75. When writing a review, about 20% of customers expect a timely response.
76. The average number of reviews on a GBP (Google Business Profile) is 39.
77. In 2023, businesses received an average of 66 new Google reviews per location, highlighting how crucial customer reviews are for managing online reputation.
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78. Google is the fastest-growing review platform, making Google reviews more critical than ever.
79. Businesses with 200 or more reviews earn twice as much revenue compared to those with fewer reviews.
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80. 73% of consumers only consider reviews written in the past month.
81. 74% of customers trust businesses more when they have more Google Business Profile reviews, and 71% say these reviews make them more likely to choose a business.
Conclusion
Based on these local SEO stats, it’s clear that focusing on local customers is essential for your business. When you optimize your Google Business Profile, manage reviews well, and stay updated on mobile and voice search trends—it directly affects how local people find and trust your business.
By putting effort into local SEO, you can attract more customers nearby, bring more visitors to your website, and increase your sales. These strategies are straightforward ways to boost your business’s online visibility and grow in your local area.