97% of US consumers go online when researching local services
Nearly all US consumers (97%) now use online media when researching products or services in their local area, according to an ongoing consumer tracking study from BIA/Kelsey.
The survey revealed that 90% of US consumers use search engines, 48% use internet Yellow Pages, 24% use vertical sites, and 42% use comparison shopping sites.
Steve Marshall, director of research, BIA/Kelsey, said: “The internet has indeed become an integral part of consumers’ local commercial activity.
“The data suggest we’re at an inflection point where the balance of power in local shopping is shifting to online.”
According to the study, on average, consumers are using 7.9 different media sources when shopping for products or services in their local area, up from 6.5 sources in 2009 and 5.8 in 2008.
“The increase in audience fragmentation presents challenges for advertisers looking to connect with local consumers,” said Peter Krasilovsky, vice president and program director of marketplaces at BIA/Kelsey.
Newspaper websites are the most used and valued sites for consumers seeking credible and trustworthy local content and advertising online, according to a recent survey conducted by comScore for the Newspaper Association of America.
Approximately 57% of the 3,050 respondents said local newspaper websites were the top online source for local information.