76 Local SEO Statistics for 2024

Consumers often search locally for services, and if they aren’t finding you in those local search results, you’re missing out on valuable customers. To prove that local SEO is something you don’t want to miss in your strategy, we’ve compiled a list of the latest stats. So what are we waiting for? Let’s dive in.

General Local Search Statistics

A recent marketing survey suggests that 72% of people use Google search to find services and products in their location. For businesses, this means that they need to have a strong local SEO approach and optimize their Google Business Profile to appear higher in local search results.

Ranking higher will provide them with a far better opportunity to drive more customers to their store and increase sales. Here are local SEO statistics to back this up:

1. 99% of people have used the internet to look up information about a local business in the past year. (BrightLocal)
2. 4 out of 5 users conduct searches with local intent on search engines. (Google)
3. 21% of U.S. consumers search for nearby businesses every day, while 32% do so several times a week. (Statista)
4. 64% of small businesses have a local SEO presence. (SEO.AI)
5. 71% of marketers have a local link building strategy in place (Moz)
6. 96% of people find out about businesses near them through online searches. (FitSmallBusiness)
7. 40% of small businesses outsource some or all of their local SEO work. (Moz)
8. 35% of businesses view local SEO as important. (Moz)
9. “Near me” searches have grown by over 900% in the last two years. (Google)
10. Google takes into account 149 different ranking factors for local searches. (WhiteSpark)
11. The top three most valuable local SEO services are managing Google Business Profiles (52%), creating content (39%), and website design (34%). (BrightLocal)
12. Marketers believe that the key factors in local organic ranking are a separate page for each service, strategic internal linking, and high-quality backlinks. (WhiteSpark)
13. 46% of Google searches have a local focus. (Search Engine Roundtable)
14. Marketers believe that the most significant factors in local organic ranking are a separate page for each service, strategic internal linking, and high-quality backlinks. (WhiteSpark)
15. 58% of businesses don’t have local SEO in their strategy. (ReviewTrackers)
16. 39% of consumers report checking local business information at least once a month to find out if a place is dog-friendly or accessible. (BrightLocal)
17. 40% of consumers say they look up the working hours of businesses a few times a month. (BrightLocal)
18. 36% of SEO professionals consider on-page elements to be the top ranking factor for local organic search results. (BrightLocal)
19. In the last two years, “near me” mobile searches with phrases like “can I buy” or “to buy” have increased by over 500%. (Google)
20. 50% of people use search engines to find store addresses. (Google)

Mobile Local SEO Statistics

When mobile users need a local business, the majority turn to Google search to find the right company. A HubSpot report found that 63% of people prefer using their mobile phones to look up info about brands and products. This trend is not going to change anytime soon because it’s a quick and easy way for consumers to check the information they need on the go.

That is why any local SEO strategy should always include mobile optimization. Businesses need to optimize for mobile searches so that users can easily find their site online and access details like their address, services, opening hours, and contact number. Here are some local SEO stats that support this:

1. 30% of all mobile searches are related to location. (Google)
2. 50% of people who searched locally on their mobile visited a store within 24 hours. (Google)
3. 72% of consumers who searched for local information on a smartphone visited a store within 5 miles. (Google)
4. 82% of U.S. shoppers use “near me” searches on their smartphones while shopping. (Statista)
5. 4 out of 5 mobile searches lead to a purchase, often within hours. (SearchEngineWatch)
6. 84% of local searches are conducted on mobile (RedLocalSEO)
7. 76% of people who search for something nearby on their phones visit a business within a day. (Google).
8. Local mobile searches are growing 50% faster than overall mobile searches. (SynUp)
9. 54% percent of smartphone users look for business hours, while 53% search for directions to local stores. (Google)
10. 57% of local search queries are made on mobile devices (ReviewTrackers)
11. 78% of such searches on mobile devices lead to purchases. (SearchEngineLand)

Google Maps and Google 3-Pack Statistics

Gaining visibility is not an easy task, especially for small businesses. But showing up in Google 3-Pack can definitely speed up this process. A map pack is a group of three top results from Google Maps that appear alongside regular listings. This shows up when a user adds a location to their search query, for example: “hotel New York” or “pet-friendly restaurants Long Island”.

As you might have guessed, businesses listed in the Google 3-pack get way more attention than those that aren’t. To be more specific, they get 126% more traffic and 93% more actions, like calls and website clicks, compared to those ranked between 4-10. This puts into perspective just how crucial it is for your company to get a spot in those search results. On that note, let’s take a look at other local SEO stats related to Google pack:

1. 88% of people use Google Maps to find local businesses, while 12% opt for Apple Maps. (BrightLocal)
2. 42% of individuals who perform a local search, click on results from the Google Map Pack. (Backlinko)
3. Customers are 2.7 times more likely to trust a business if they come across a complete Business Profile on search and Google Maps. (Google)
4. About 68% of online searchers prefer to click on a local 3-pack. (RedLocalSEO)
5. When people research nearby businesses, they tend to trust Google the most (66%), followed by Google Maps (45%) and the business’s website (36%). (BrightLocal)
6. Most clicks in local search results go to the local pack (44%), followed by organic results (29%) and ads (21%). (RedLocalSeo)
7. 52% of marketers consider local pack rankings a key factor in SEO success. (BrightLocal)
8. The most important factors for ranking in Google’s local pack are your primary Google Business Profile category, having relevant keywords in the profile title, and how close your business is to the searcher’s location. (WhiteSpark)
9. Global searches for “shopping near me” on Maps have more than doubled compared to last year. (Google)

Google Business Profile Statistics

Your Google Business Profile is one of the central pieces when building your presence locally. It shows up as a listing in local searches and gives users an overview of all the key information about your company. Many potential customers will use your Google profile to contact you, check working hours, or get directions.

So if you want more leads to call your company, you need an optimized and completed profile with all the details they may need to make a decision. A complete profile also builds trust with your potential customers and they’re 50% more likely to make a purchase. That being said, let’s take a look at some other local SEO statistics that show the importance of GBP:

1. 32% of SEO professionals believe that Google Business Profile is the most essential factor to rank well in the map pack. (BrightLocal)
2. Verified businesses receive over 21,643 views each year in Google searches. (Birdeye)
3. About 45% of businesses receive appointment requests through their Google Business Profile (GBP). (Publer.io)
4. 62% of consumers will avoid a local business if they find incorrect information online. (BrightLocal)
5. 33% of marketing experts view Google Business Profile (GBP) as a key component in an SEO strategy. (BrightLocal)
6. 75% of marketers think that the use of Google Business Profile features affects local rankings (MOZ)
7. 53% of consumers see accurate opening hours as the most important detail for retail stores. (BrightLocal)
8. Businesses receive around 595 calls a year, or about 50 calls a month, from their verified Google Business Profiles. (Birdeye)
9. Over half of consumers will call a business directly from their profile. (RedLocalSEO)

Reviews Statistics

SEO statistics show that reviews play a crucial part in how people see your business and often determine whether someone will visit your website. What this means is that, as a business owner, you need to actively manage your reviews. It will show potential customers that you care about their opinions and are committed to improving your service.

Overall, customer reviews are a great way to bring in more clients. They not only shape potential customers’ perceptions of your business but also improve your search rankings. When people see positive reviews and how you respond to negative ones, they’re more likely to choose you over competitors. Here are some local SEO stats to support this:

1. 89% of consumers say they’re more likely to choose a business that responds to all reviews—whether positive or negative. (BrightLocal)
2. Nearly half of consumers (49%) put as much trust in online reviews as they do in personal recommendations from their friends or family. (BrightLocal)
3. 90% of marketers think that reviews directly impact rankings in the local pack. (MOZ)
4. 75% of consumers indicate that they “always” or “often” check online reviews while looking into local businesses (Brightlocal)
5. 98% of people read online reviews at least occasionally before deciding on a local business. (BrightLocal)
6. 36% of users check Google reviews to guide their purchase decisions. (Statista)
7. 91% of consumers say that reviews for local branches influence their overall opinion of larger brands. (BrightLocal)
8. 17% of U.S. online shoppers consistently check reviews before making a purchase, and 38% find them “very important” in their decision-making process. (Statista)
9. Among internet users aged 25 to 34, 36% rely on online reviews to research brands and products. (Statista)
10. 63% of people say they would lose trust in a business if they mostly see negative reviews. (BrightLocal)

Local SEO Conversion Stats

Visits are great, but what really matters for your local business are conversions. The thing is that local searchers usually have a higher intent to buy. Many people visit a nearby location within just 24 hours and complete purchases at a higher rate compared to consumers conducting non-local searches.

Google research proves this and shows that 78% of people who search locally end up making a purchase, whether online or in-store. So if you want to see more visitors and calls rolling in, you need to maximize your profile with all the features Google Business Profiles offers. This means regularly updating information, adding high-quality photos, and engaging with your customers in reviews.

Having all this info in your listing provides your audience with all the details they need, which makes them more likely to close a sale. Let’s now look at the local SEO statistics that confirm this:

1. 28% of local searches lead to conversion (Google)
2. Google Business Profile listing with accurate and complete information gets seven times more clicks. (Publer.io)
3. 88% of consumers who conduct a local search on their smartphone visit or call a store within a day. (SynUp)
4. When businesses improve their rating from 3.5 to 3.7 stars, their conversion rates can increase by nearly 120%. (BrightLocal)
5. Companies that maintain a complete Google Business Profile have a 50% higher chance of being considered by customers for future purchases. (Google)
6. 18% of local searches on mobile leads to a purchase within a day vs. 7% of non-local searches. (Google)
7. Businesses that include photos on their Google Business Profiles tend to get 42% more direction requests on Google Maps and 35% more clicks to their websites compared to those that don’t. (Google)
8. A verified Google Business Profile gets around 200 clicks or interactions per month. (Birdeye)
9. Local search analytics show that businesses see about 105 visits to their websites each month through verified Google Business Profiles. (Birdeye)
10. Local companies with contact information receive 94% of calls on weekdays. (Publer.io)
11. Almost 1 in 5 local searches on a smartphone results in a purchase within a day. (Google)
12. Enterprise locations that respond to at least 32% of their reviews see an 80% higher conversion rate compared to SMBs and competitors that reply to just 10% of reviews. (BrightLocal)

Local SEO Statistics for Voice Search

There’s been a rise in voice search and now more people are using it to find local businesses. Smart speakers and voice assistants make it easier for users to ask questions and instantly get answers about services in their vicinity. Most of these questions relate to hours of operation, directions, or nearest location.

Using voice search doesn’t seem to be a one-off either. Our AI SEO statistics demonstrate that many people conduct local voice searches every week. Therefore, businesses need to keep this in mind and align their strategy to this trend. Here are the local search stats that support this:

1. 58% of people use voice search to get details on nearby businesses because it’s convenient for those on the go. (BrightLocal)
2. 72% of consumers use voice to search for local businesses. (SynUp)
3. Voice searches account for 20% of mobile queries. (Search Engine Land)
4. 27% of users check a local business’s website after performing a voice search. (SynUp)
5. 76% of voice searches are related to “near me” and local inquiries. This trend is expected to triple as users increasingly seek direct information about local businesses. (SynUp)

Final Thoughts

We went over the most recent local SEO statistics and one thing is clear: businesses need to add local optimization to their strategy if they want more customers and bigger sales.

By taking into consideration the specific keywords that people are using, like “best attorneys in LA” or “pet-friendly hotels near me”, businesses can show up in local search results and significantly increase their chances of getting more clients.

Our local SEO statistics for 2024 also show the importance of having a complete and updated Google Business Profile and replying to all the reviews. With all these data and tips we shared along the way, you are well-equipped to start improving your visibility in local search and drive more foot traffic to your business.

In case you need the expert’s eye for your local strategy, we are here to help. At SeoProfy, we have a team of over 100 experts and provide local SEO services to drive more nearby customers to your location.

We’ll assist you with your Google Business Profile management, target high-intent local queries, and build high-quality backlinks so that you can get more visits and calls for your business. Book your free consultation or speak with our friendly consultant today and let’s create a unique SEO campaign that aligns with your goals.

Author

Andrew Shum

Andrew is the Head of SEO at SeoProfy. He has been involved in search engine optimization since 2016, gaining practical SEO experience across various niches and countries.