Going local: Understanding Consumers Local Search Behavior

Understanding
Consumers’ Local
Search Behavior
May 2014

WHAT WE WANTED TO LEARN
Every day, people search for things nearby
by conducting local searches. These are
searches aimed at finding things near where
they happen to be. This may include finding
directions to a local store/business, checking
local store hours, or searching for local
stores that have a product in stock.
We wanted to understand this local search
behavior. Is it prominent? What information
do consumers search for when they want to
find things nearby? And, what potential does
it hold for advertisers?
To answer these questions, Google
commissioned two custom research
studies to look at local search behavior
across devices. This deck highlights the
research findings.
7:36pm
Movie theater
show times
10:21pm
Mexican
restaurant5:15pm
Hotels in
San Francisco
2

Ipsos MediaCT is the market research division within Ipsos that specializes in
reaching, engaging and more effectively understanding today’s digitally- driven
consumer in the fast moving media, content and technology space.
BACKGROUND & METHODOLOGY
Background
Google partnered with Ipsos MediaCT and
Purchased®
on two custom studies to uncover
consumers’ local search behavior across smartphone
and computer/tablet.
This study explored consumers’ local search behavior
in 9 verticals: Auto, CPG, Finance, Local Services,
Media & Entertainment, Restaurant,
Retail, Tech and Travel.
Methodology
All participants were: 18+, conduct smartphone
searches at least a few times a week.
Ipsos Online Survey
4,500 respondents completed one of nine vertical
specific online surveys from Jan 10-22, 2014
(n=500 per vertical). Additional Ipsos criteria:
bought in at least one of the nine verticals in the
last 6 months, used search engines as a source of
information for at least one of the nine verticals.
Purchased Shopper Smartphone Diary
653 respondents logged their smartphone search
and in-store activities via the Shopalong app for
seven days within Dec 18, 2013-Jan 30, 2014.
In total, 3,431 smartphone searches and 2,262
store visits were logged and analyzed. Additional
Purchased criteria: plan to buy in 2+ verticals in-
store or online.
Purchased® provides consumer brands and retailers with shopper plans,
behaviors and purchases where they happen, when they happen. Using its
Shopalong® shopper panel, Purchased captures this data in real-time via
mobile, allowing businesses to gain a complete and accurate picture of the
purchase decisions consumers make, and why they make them.
3

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
Consumers search with their location and proximity in mind
● 4 in 5 consumers use search engines to find local information.
● They search on smartphone and computer/tablet for: store address,
business hours, product availability and directions.
Local searchers take action
● 50% of consumers who conducted a local search on their smartphone
visited a store within a day, and 34% who searched on computer/tablet
did the same.
● Local searches lead to more purchases than non-local searches. 18% of
local searches on smartphone lead to a purchase within a day vs. 7% of
non-local searches.
Consumers prefer and act on location-based ads
● 4 in 5 consumers want ads customized to their city, zip code or
immediate surroundings.
● More than 60% of consumers have used location information in ads.
They say it’s important to have store address and phone number in ads
on computer/tablet, and directions and the call button in ads on
smartphone.
4

CONTENTS
1 The prominence of local search
2 Consumers’ local search behavior
3 Engaging consumers with location-based ads
5

THE PROMINENCE OF LOCAL SEARCH
6

consumers conduct local searches
on search engines. They search on:4in5
Computer/
Tablet
84%88%
Smartphone
WHAT WE FOUNDCONSUMERS SEARCH WITH LOCAL INTENT ACROSS DEVICES
Base: Used device to search for information on most recent vertical purchase (n=115-233 for smartphone, n=333-437 for computer/tablet)
Google/Ipsos Survey Q8. What type(s) of information did you search for on your device(s) using search engines?
Select all that apply for each device.
7

Directions to
local store
Local store
address
53%
Business
hours
54% 50%
Business
hours
Local store
address
42% 38%
Availability of
product at local store
45%
WHAT WE FOUNDCONSUMERS SEARCH FOR A VARIETY OF LOCAL INFORMATION
Base: Used device to search for information on most recent vertical purchase (n=115-233 for smartphone, n=333-437 for
computer/tablet).
Google/Ipsos Survey Q8. What type(s) of information did you search for on your device(s) using search engines?
Select all that apply for each device.
SMARTPHONE
COMPUTER/TABLET
8

40%
37%
CONSUMERS SEARCH FOR LOCAL INFORMATION
THROUGHOUT THE PURCHASE PROCESS
INSPIRATION POST-PURCHASERESEARCH
When you purchased
your product or service.
After you purchased your
product or service.
When you realized you wanted
or needed to make a purchase.
When you actively looked or
researched your purchase.
PURCHASE
SMARTPHONE
COMPUTER/TABLET
57% 53% 43%
66% 83% 64%
Base: Used device for local searches on most recent vertical purchase (n=94-214 for smartphone, n=289-378 for computer/tablet)
Google/Ipsos Survey Q10. Which device(s), if any, did you use to conduct local searches for your most recent [sub-vertical] [purchase / -
related activity] during each of the following phases? Please select all that apply for each phase.
9

CONSUMERS SEARCH FOR LOCAL INFORMATION
IN A VARIETY OF PLACES
Base: Used device for local searches on most recent vertical purchase (n=94-214 for smartphone, n=289-378 for computer/tablet)
Google/Ipsos Survey Q13. Where were you when you conducted local searches (e.g., directions, local address, business hours, product
availability) related to your [sub-vertical] [purchase / -related activity] on your device(s)? Please select all that apply for each device.
Additional places where consumers search for local information: school/college, someone else's home, gym/health club,
community/religious center, other.
% of consumers who search for local information at:
53%
Home
SMARTPHONE
COMPUTER/TABLET
On the go
(car, bus etc.)
In-Store Workplace Restaurant/
Bar
Hotel/Motel Airport
51% 41% 33% 33% 25% 20%
76% 16% 15% 24% 12% 18% 11%
10

51%
Hotels in SF
in-store
WHEN ON THE GO OR IN-STORES, A MAJORITY OF
SMARTPHONE SEARCHES HAVE LOCAL INTENT
56%
of searches
have local intent
on the go
of searches
have local intent
Base: n=293 on the go smartphone searches and n=95 in-store smartphone searches. Google/Purchased Diary Q1. Where were
you when you conducted the search?; Q2. Was this a local search?
11

Consumers are searching for local
information everywhere, on every device,
at every point in the purchase process.
What we learned
Advertiser implications
You should make sure your product
availability, address and directions
appear in your ads across smartphone
and computer/tablet. And ensure your
locations are in Google Places.
12

CONSUMERS’ LOCAL SEARCH BEHAVIOR
13

made a
purchase
Local Search Non-local Search
18% 7%
made a
purchase
18% of local smartphone searches led to a purchase
within a day compared to 7% of non-local searches
CONSUMERS PURCHASE AT A HIGHER RATE
AFTER LOCAL SEARCH
Base: n=1,282 local searches and n=2,131 non-local searches. Google/Purchased Diary Del. Elab Q1. Did the smartphone web search you conducted in
the Shopalong app about TOPIC on DATE at LOCATION result in a purchase or other follow-up action? For example, if you searched for a restaurant did
you actually go to the restaurant? Or if you searched for a plumber did you call the plumber?; Del. Elab Q2. How soon after the smartphone web search
did you purchase or take a follow-up action?
14

% of consumers who visit a store
within a day of their local search:
Smartphone Computer/Tablet
WHAT WE FOUNDCONSUMERS ACT QUICKLY AFTER THEIR LOCAL SEARCH
of in-store activities
involve conducting
smartphone searches
about a product or for
price comparison
searches on
smartphone
occur right
before consumers
visit a store
1 3in 15%
50% 34%
Base: Used device for local searches on most recent vertical purchase
(n=94-214 for smartphone, n=289-378 for computer/tablet). Google/Ipsos
Survey Q15. How soon after conducting a local search on your device(s)
for information on your most recent [sub-vertical] [purchase / -related
activity] did you visit a related store or business? Please select one for
each device.
Base: n=216 smartphone searches related to in-store purchase; n=1,399 in-store visits.
Google/Purchased Diary Del. Elab Q2: It looks like you conducted a web search on your
smartphone related to this purchase decision. When did you conduct the most recent
search? Inst. Elab Q1: What did you do while you were at [store]? Select all that apply.
Consumer behavior before
visiting store and while in-store:
15

CONSUMERS CAN BE INFLUENCED TO PURCHASE
IN-STORE KNOWING A STORE IS NEARBY
Consumers would buy
in-store instead of online
knowing they:
35%
Can get the
product
quickly
31%
Get better
pricing
30%
Are close
to a store
Base: Total sample of 4,500 respondents (n=500 per vertical). Google/Ipsos Survey Q5. Imagine you are searching for [sub-vertical]
information on your device to complete a(n) [sub-vertical] [purchase / -related activity] online. Which of the following reasons, if any,
would drive you to complete your [purchase / -related activity] in-store/in-person, instead of online? Please select all that apply.
16

of consumers who
searched for local
information on
computer/tablet
visit a store within 5
miles
66% 72%
of consumers who
searched for local
information on
smartphone visit a
store within 5 miles
WHAT WE FOUNDCONSUMERS CHOOSE STORES CLOSE TO THEIR LOCATION
Base: Used device for local searches on most recent vertical purchase and visited related store or business (n=81-204 for smartphone, n=247-
350 for computer/tablet)
Google/Ipsos Survey Q16. And, how far away was the store or business when you decided to visit while searching
on your device(s)? Select one for each device.
17

Local searchers are ready to act. Many
visit a nearby location within a day
and complete purchases at a higher
rate than consumers who conduct
non-local searches.
What we learned
You should use radius bidding
to reach consumers near stores
and build an attribution model
for local searches.
18

ENGAGING CONSUMERS WITH
LOCATION-BASED ADS
19

of Computer/Tablet users70%
want ads customized to their
immediate surroundings
of Smartphone users61%
of Computer/Tablet users72%
want ads customized
to their city/zip code
of Smartphone users67%
WHAT WE FOUNDCONSUMERS WANT ADS CUSTOMIZED TO THEIR LOCATION
Base: Use device to go online and quota assignment (n=500 per vertical for smartphone, n=482-492 for computer/tablet). Google/Ipsos
Survey Q23. Do you want ads to be customized to your immediate surroundings when you search for [sub-vertical] information on each
of the following devices? Q24. And, do you want ads to be customized to your zip code or city when you search for [sub-vertical]
information on each of the following devices? Note: In aggregate, 4 in 5 consumers want ads customized to their location.
20

Computer/Tablet
WHAT WE FOUNDCONSUMERS USE LOCATION INFORMATION IN ADS
61%
use local address
or phone number
Base: Exposed to device image and quota assignment (n=134-179 for smartphone, n=306-361 for computer/tablet).
Google/Ipsos Survey Q19. Have you ever used any of the following ad features when searching for [sub-vertical] information on your
[device] to complete your [sub-vertical] [purchase / - related activity] at a local store or business? Select one for each.
Smartphone
68%
use get directions
or call button
21

Think
Local Address
is important
78%
Think
Phone Number
is important
77%
Think
Get Directions
is important
73%
Think
Call Button
is important
70%
CONSUMERS WHO HAVE USED LOCATION INFORMATION
IN ADS SAY IT’S IMPORTANT
Base: Used ad features on device and quota assignment (n=77-124 for Get Directions, n=67-101 for Call Button, n=129-254 for Local
Address, n=111-240 for Phone Number)
Google/Ipsos Survey Q20. And, how important are these ad features to you when searching for [sub-vertical] information on your
[device] to complete your [sub-vertical] [purchase / -related activity] at a local store or business? Select one for each.
SMARTPHONE
COMPUTER/TABLET
22

LOCATION-BASED ADS LEAD CONSUMERS
TO VISIT STORES OR MAKE PURCHASES
19%
made unplanned visits to
stores / made purchases
32%
visited stores /
made purchases
Base: n=509 final survey respondents who reported seeing a location-based ad in the last 7 days. Google/Purchased Final Survey
Q21. Did any location-based ads lead you to take actions beyond clicks, such as store visits and/or store purchases?
Q22. Did location-based ads lead you to make any unplanned store visits or unplanned purchases?
23

Consumers prefer location-based ads
and expect ads to be relevant to their city,
zip code or immediate surroundings.
What we learned
You should use location extensions.
And you can use location bid adjustments
to fine-tune bids for specific areas,
like cities or zip codes.
24

Going local: Understanding Consumers Local Search Behavior

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