A recent survey was conducted by Pew Internet to determine where people get information about local businesses. For the study, 1100 adults (18 and older) were interviewed by landline and cellphone in both English and Spanish.
People looking for information about local businesses said they rely on the internet, particularly search engines over all other sources. Printed newspaper as well as websites of newspaper companies was the second most popular choice that people use to find information and news about local businesses. Word of mouth was a high scoring source as well.
About 60% of adults say that they get news and information about local businesses other than restaurants and bars. When they do:
47% say they rely most on the internet, including:
• search engines – 36% rely on them
• specialty websites – 16% rely on them
• social media – 1% rely on social network sites or Twitter
30% rely most on newspapers, including:
• printed newspapers – 29% rely most on that
• newspaper websites – 2% rely on them
22% rely on word of mouth from family and friends
8% rely on local TV, either broadcasts or the websites of local stations
5% rely on local radio
Keep in mind that some of the statistics in the bullets exceed the total due to the fact that respondents were able to fill in more than one choice. For example, someone could have selected Twitter and social websites in addition to search engines.
This study is yet another reason why businesses need to be taking advantage of as many opportunities as possible to enhance their online presence. 2012 is expected to see more people than ever before looking for information about local businesses online. It’s a very exciting time in the rapidly growing world of online marketing and 2012 is set to be a great year for those who take advantage.