LOCAL SEARCH MAKES SUCCESS AS CLOSE AS IT APPEARS: An Integrated Approach To Search Maximizes Multi-Channel Efforts
October 2, 2007

The growing necessity for multichannel alignment between corporate advertisers and their local entities is often overlooked when planning paid search campaigns. Local search, a rapidly expanding area within paid search, when used effectively can provide results for several categories that, according to JupiterResearch, are in a particularly good position to grow, such as automotive, real estate, mortgage and travel While many consumers nearing the decision phase of the purchase cycle have a tendency to visit the better known corporate Web site than that of reseller or franchise within their community, this is particularly true in the case of automotive-oriented searches. According to DoubleClick’s “Touchpoints IV: How the Internet Impacts Automotive Purchases (July 2006)” research, 46 percent of survey respondents identified original equipment manufacturers’ (OEM) Web sites as the “most common type of Web site influencing auto purchases.” However, the same research indicates that actual auto purchases are overwhelmingly (83 percent) still conducted at the dealership. So what’s the connection? Instead of working against each other and cannibalizing leads, companies can harness the potential of local search by integrating search marketing efforts across brand levels and targeting actively engaged consumers.

Local search advertising spend is predicted to grow from $3.4 billion in 2006 to $13 billion in 2010 . This tremendous growth signals the importance of local search integration and the unlimited potential available to small business owners. Benefits local search provides to companies in these industries include efficiency, brand alignment as well as ability to remain focused on the consumer. It is becoming easier and easier to implement products leveraging location-based search activity and, ultimately, convert searchers into qualified leads.