Online Traction

Comscore is a trusted authority on internet traffic patterns. Their press release from yesterday reveals the findings of an analysis of data from July and accompanying surveys (U.S. only).

Summary:

- Local search is growing very fast: 63 percent of U.S. internet users (approx. 109 million people) performed a local search in July (an increase of 43 percent from July ‘05)

- 60 percent of these searches were shared more or less equally by Yahoo Local and Google Maps

- Around 60 percent of local searches are for a restaurant, movie theater or entertainment-related

- Around 50 percent searched for a specific address or phone number

- Around 40 percent were looking for information on a local service such as car rental, dry cleaner or lawyer

- Performing local searches drives consumers to take action: 47% of local searchers visited a local merchant as a result of their search (37% made contact online, 41% made contact offline)

It goes without saying that local search stands to benefit some sites more than others but for anyone with a client-facing office its well worth availing of these free listings not least because you can incorporate a link in your ‘contact’ page or wherever you show your office address.

Speaking of which, showing an office address and contact information is an important trust building factor that should be strongly considered by most sites.

read the full extract of the Comscore report here