40+ Local SEO Statistics That Prove You Need to Market Local
Local search optimization, or local SEO, is one of the most impactful strategies you can leverage to get customers in your area. Whether you run an HVAC business, own the corner mini-store, or run a dance studio, local search engine optimization is powerful for business growth.
Below, we’ll share 40+ local SEO statistics that show the power of this strategy and how it can help you grow your business.
General local SEO statistics
To kick off this list of local SEO statistics, let’s talk about some general stats surrounding local searches and local SEO:
1. Search queries that include the phrase “near me” or “close by” have seen a 900% increase in the last two years. (Source)
More people are using phrases like “near me” and “close by” to find businesses in their area. In the past two years, there’s been a 900% increase in those searches. To help your business appear in the results for these searches, make sure your location is integrated into your marketing materials so Google knows if you’re a nearby business based on the searcher’s location.
2. 96% of people learn about local businesses online (Source)
The days of traditional marketing are slowly going to the wayside — people are turning to the Internet to learn about businesses in their local community. It’s important that you build an online presence, espeically in search engines, so people find your business when they look online.
3. 80% of local searches convert (Source)
This is our first local SEO stat since it is so eye-opening. It’s no secret that a local search strategy has a significant impact on your business’s success. With 80% of local searches resulting in conversions, you must invest in this strategy to help your business continue to grow.
Local searches contain the power to help you earn conversions, so you must adapt to a local SEO strategy. Optimizing your website for local searches will help you earn more conversions and grow your business.
4. 79% of marketers consider local SEO a highly effective marketing strategy (Source)
There’s no doubt about it — local SEO is effective. Many marketers consider it to be one of the most effective strategies for businesses looking to grow online.
5. 62% of customers will ignore a business without a web presence (Source)
Having a dedicated website improves your business’s legitimacy in the eyes of your audience. It helps them verify that your business is real and active, in addition to providing information they need about your company.
Local SEO will help you create a dedicated website that serves as a hub for all information about your company.
6. 49% of consumers like to buy from brands with a local presence (Source)
Building your local presence impacts people buying from you. People want to purchase from companies that have a local and optimized presence online –– it speaks to your business’s legitimacy and credibility.
Investing in local SEO ensures that you have a local presence to make a positive impression on your audience. It enables you to provide your audience with helpful information and build their confidence in buying from you.
7. 46% of all Google searches are local (Source)
Many people leverage Google’s platform to find businesses, products, and services near them.
8. 28% of SEO experts say local optimization is the most effective SEO tactic (Source)
SEO is full of tactics and optimizations you need to utilize to help you drive online leads. Many experts believe that optimizing for local queries is one of the most effective tactics you can use to grow online.
9. 18% of local searches lead to a purchase within a day (Source)
When people conduct local searches, they may not convert immediately. At least 18% of searches, though, will lead to a purchase within a day — that’s compared to 7% of non-local searches that convert.
You can increase how many people purchase from your business by ensuring your Google Business Profile is detailed and tells your audience what they need to know. Having an informative website that details your products or services will help too.
Google Business Profile statistics
A core component of building your local presence is your Google Business Profile. This profile appears in local Google searches and provides people with an overview of important information about your company. It plays a critical role in your local SEO strategy because it helps drive traffic to your website and your business’s location.
Here are some local SEO statistics that show why your Google Business Profile matters:
10. The average local business receives over 1,200 views a month on their Google Business Profile (Source)
When people want to find a local business, they often check out the company’s Google Business Profile to learn what they offer. If someone conducts a search using local keywords, for example, Google Business Profiles are likely to populate in the search results.
If the average local business gets over 1,200 views a month, that means you have the potential to attract a lot of leads for your business. Investing in optimizing your profile is crucial for your business’s growth.
11. Customers are three times more likely to consider a business reputable if their Business Profile is complete (Source)
As we’ve mentioned before, people turn to the Internet to verify the validity of a business. Many people will look for a Google Business Profile because it means you took the steps to claim and complete yours. You’ll want to claim and optimize your profile to ensure people can find it.
12. 86% of people look up the location of a business using Google Maps (Source)
Many people will go straight into Google Maps to help them find a business in their area. And where do they get information about a local business when search in Google Maps? Their Google Business Profile. Make sure you optimize your Google Business Profile so searchers have all the information they need about your business.
13. Customers are 70% more likely to visit a business with an optimized Google Business Profile (Source)
Again, an optimized profile speaks to the validity of your business. Having it completely filled out means your audience doesn’t need to go searching around the web to find information about your business –– they can find vital information in one place.
14. 64% of consumers have looked to a Google Business Profile to find important contact information for a business (Source)
Your Google Business Profile serves as a hub of all the basic and critical information your audience needs to know, like your location, hours of operation, and phone number. Having this information in your listing makes it easy for people to contact or visit your business.
15. People are 50% more likely to consider purchasing from businesses with a complete Google Business Profile (Source)
It’s not enough to just claim your Google Business Profile and leave it at that. You need to fill it out completey, from your hours of operation to your photos to your website link. Having a complete profile means you provide your audience with everything they need to know, which makes them more likely to purchase if you’re a good fit.
16. 45% of companies receive appointment requests through their Google Business Profile (Source)
If you’re a business that takes appointments, having a Google Business Profile is crucial. Having the ability to book an appointment through your profile will help you earn new customers –– the same goes for having the option to “order now” for restaurant Google Business Profiles.
17. 42% of local searchers click on Google Map packs (Source)
When people are on the go and need to find a local business, they’re often turning to Google Maps to help them find one. The combination of the visual map and the Google Business Profile helps people find what they need fast.
If you want to help you business’s profile appear in the Google Map pack, make sure it’s complete and optimized for your audience –– you’ll have a better chance of appearing in the local 3-pack.
18. Businesses with photos in their listing get 42% more requests for driving directions (Source)
Having photos on your Google Business Profile is critical. These photos provide your audience with insight about your company, like what your business looks like both inside and out. Adding photos can ultimately drive people to visit your business because they like what they see.
19. Companies that have photos in their Google Business Profile earn 35% more clicks to their website than listings without (Source)
Photos drive more people to click on your listing because they can see what your business is like and what it offers. A restaurant, for example, that shares photos of their food will earn more clicks because people can see what there is to eat. Make sure to include all kinds of photos in your Google Business Profile, from images of your products or projects completed to the inside of your business.
Local SEO statistics on voice search
With voice search devices like Alex and Google Nest becoming more integrated into homes, there’s an increase of people use voice search through these devices.
20. Voice searches are three times more likely to be used for local search queries than text searches (Source)
People conduct voice searches with the intent of finding a local business. It’s important that you optimize your search strategy for these types of queries. Taking slang into consideration, for example, can help with performing better in voice search queries.
21. 76% of smart speaker users conduct local searches at least weekly (Source)
Using a voice search device isn’t just a one-off thing. Many people conduct local searches every week using voice search, so it’s important to have a strategy in place that’s tailored to these types of searches.
22. “Near me” makes up 76% of local searches (Source)
Local searches are popular on voice search devices. The majority of voice search queries use the phrase “near me” to find businesses in the user’s local area.
23. 72% of smart speaker owners use voice search to find information about local businesses (Source)
Many people rely on smart speakers, like Alexa and Google Nest, to help them do daily tasks like check the weather or set a timer. That’s not all they’re doing — many smart speaker owners use the devices to help them learn more about a local business in their area. Make sure all your local information is accurate and up to date, so voice searchers get the right info.
24. 58% of users use voice search to find local businesses (Source)
Whether it’s a local pizza place or a mechanic, people turn to voice search devices to help them find local businesses. Optimizing for these local search queries will help improve your chances of people discovering your company when looking for a local business.
25. Over 55% of teenagers use voice search to discover resturants (Source)
As voice search devices grow in popularity, more people use these devices to conduct searches. Fifty-five percent of teens, for example, use voice search to find a local restaurant. On top of that, 41% of adults use voice search to find local restaurants.
With so many people using voice search devices to find local businesses, you can’t miss the opportunity to drive these leads.
Since people take a more conversational approach to voice search, you’ll want to optimize your website for more conversational local keywords.
26. 50% of voice searches have local intent (Source)
Many people leverage voice search devices to conduct local searches. In fact 50% of searches conducted through voice seek out a local product or service.
27. 27% of users visit a local business’s website after conducting a voice search (Source)
Voice search queries are often the starting point for people who want to find a local business. If voice search programs give inquirers the information they want, they’re likely to go checkout that business’s website to learn more. Make sure you have a website optimized for mobile, as smart speaker devices typically will send information to the user’s phone.
28. 25% of consumers are willing to try local voice search despite not having done it yet (Source)
Many people haven’t used a voice search device before, but they’re willing to try it to conduct local searches. That means there’s more potential for local voice search queries to increase in the future.
29. 22% of voice search queries are for local content (Source)
A small percentage of people will conduct voice search queries to find local content. If you host or participate in a popular local event or something similar, consider creating a dedicated piece of content about it (like a blog post). That way, when people voice search to ask about it, they can get directed to your website to learn more.
Local SEO statistics on mobile search
In today’s world, smartphone and mobile devices are increasingly popular. That means you need to consider mobile searchers when optimizing your local SEO strategy.
Let’s check out some local seo statistics on smartphones:
30. 82% of smartphone users use a search engine when looking for a local business (Source)
When smartphone users want to find a local business, the majority turn to a search engine to help them find the right company. It’s important that you’re optimizing for mobile searches, so these users can find you.
31. 78% of location-based mobile searches result in an offline purchase
One of the biggest benefits of local search is that it drives foot traffic to your business. Even if you don’t sell products online, leveraging local search optimization ta
32. 57% of local searches come from a mobile device and tablet (Source)
In today’s smartphone-driven world, it’s no surprise that over half of local searches come from mobile devices. People use mobile devices to find local businesses at home and while out on the go.
That means that, not only do you need to have an optimized local profile, but you also need a website optimized for mobile. Having a mobile-friendly website ensures that, if a visitor goes to your website to learn more about your business, they have a positive experience.
33. 50% of smartphone users visit a store within a day of a local search (Source)
Local searches help drive customers in the front door. In fact, 50% of users visit a store within a day of conducting a local search. A regional SEO strategy will help these customers find your business first and drive them to visit you.
34. Local mobile searches are growing 50% faster than overall mobile searches (Source)
More people are conducting local searches on their phone than any other type of search. It’s going to become more common for people to conduct their local searches on mobile devices, which means you need to have a website optimized for mobile devices to deliver a positive experience for these users.
35. 30% of Google mobile searches are related to location (Source)
Many people are going to search for local businesses through mobile devices. When users conduct mobile searches on Google, 30% of them relate to location.
People often use their mobile devices to search for local businesses. With a local SEO campaign, you’ll be able to reach local leads searching on their mobile devices. You’ll adapt to how users search on mobile and create a more mobile-friendly website to get leads to engage with your business.
36. 28% of searches for something nearby lead to a purchase (Source)
If you’re looking to boost sales, local SEO can help you do it. Considering nearly a third of searches for products or services “nearby” results in a purchase, it’s a great opportunity for you to earn sales for your business.
Local SEO statistics on the impact of reviews
Reviews play a crucial role in determining whether someone visits your business. One of the core components of your local profile, like your Google Business Profile, is reviews. People will check out reviews to see others’ experiences before deciding whether to choose your business.
If you want to see success with local SEO, you need to have a review management strategy in place.
Here are some 2025 local SEO stats that show the power and value of reviews of your business on your local listing:
37. 90% of consumers rely on reviews to evaluate a local business (Source)
If someone wants to gain insight into a local business, they’re turning to reviews to get a better picture. If you want to turn these searchers into customers, you need to continously obtain reviews about your business. Having more reviews can help build your reputation, but also help users determine if you’re the right fit.
38. 88% of consumers are likely to use or visit a business if they see the owner responds to all reviews (Source)
This goes for positive or negative reviews. People want to know that your company is listening to customers because it shows that you care about them and their experience. If you get reviews on your Google Business Profile, for example, take time to respond to them and show you actively listen to your customers.
39. 88% of customers who read an online review say it influenced their buying decision (Source)
Online reviews have an impact on whether consumers buy a product or hire a business. Your local customers are heavily influenced by online reviews, so you need to spend the time managing them to build a better reputation for your business.
40. 87% of consumers use Google to evaluate local businesses (Source)
More than any other search engine, people turn to Google to evaluate local businesses. Creating and optimizing your local business presence is important in helping people determine if you offer what they need. Additionally, your reviews help people determine if you’re a good fit.
41. 64% of people are likely to read Google reviews before visiting a local business (Source)
Many people are checking out what other people say about your business before they even set foot in your door. It’s importantly to continually manage and respond to reviews to build a positive impression of your company.
Invest in a local SEO plan from WebFX today
After looking at all the local SEO stats, you can see just how important it is to have a local SEO strategy in place. By creating a unique local SEO strategy, you’ll help your business drive more local customers to your organization.
At WebFX, we have a team of over 500 experts that will help you drive more local traffic for your business. Contact us online or call us today at 888-601-5359 to speak with a strategist about creating your custom local SEO campaign.