![\"Greg](\"\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/07\/greg-sterling-2016.jpg\")
To kick off the 2nd day of Rocks Digital 2016, we have Greg Sterling,\u00a0VP\u00a0of\u00a0Strategy & Insights of the Local Search Association, blogger at Screenwerk\u00a0and a contributing editor to Search Engine Land and Marketing Land, leading online blogs on search and digital marketing.<\/p>\n
Let’s explore\u00a0the mad, mad, MAD future of local search, and certain breakthroughs in the epidemic of local search.<\/p>\n
“All mobile queries are potentially local.”<\/em> Most search queries that carry buying intent are ultimately local because they will likely be fulfilled in a store, dealership or by an offline service provider.\u00a0Ultimately, people are not going to buy a car or fridge online.<\/p>\n Google may be more inclined to treat the same query as local.<\/p>\n The Purchase Path<\/strong><\/p>\n Awareness |\u00a0Interest |\u00a0Decision |\u00a0Action<\/strong><\/p>\n Mobile is KING<\/strong><\/p>\n More than 50% of\u00a0Google’s queries come from mobile devices on a global basis.<\/em><\/p>\n 70% of Yelp searches come from mobile.<\/em><\/p>\n New Search Experiences<\/strong><\/p>\n Using Voice Search By Age<\/strong><\/p>\n “The assistant is conversational – an ongoing two-way dialogue between you and Google that understands your world\u00a0<\/em>and helps you get things done. It makes it easy to buy movie tickets on the go, to find that perfect restaurant for your family to grab a quick bite before the movie starts, and then help you navigate to the theater. It’s a Google for you, by you.<\/em>” – Google, May 2016<\/p>\n Marketer Challenges<\/strong><\/p>\n Buyers are harder to reach, and\u00a0figuring out how to\u00a0bridge\u00a0the gap between so many tools and dashboards. The top 5\u00a0challenges for large businesses today are the following.<\/p>\n People want more functionality, so they don’t need to use so many apps.\u00a0Mobile consumers want to complete tasks.\u00a0Users want personalization and relevance. Location is very forward but beware of being too personal.<\/p>\n 84% of consumers think advertising interruptions while watching digital content are too frequent. Millennials are blocking ads!<\/p>\n Small Business Issues<\/strong><\/p>\n New Kinds of SEO<\/strong><\/p>\n Challenges\/Opportunities<\/strong><\/p>\n The most important thing to remember, though, is to put the customer at the center of the whole process. Most organizations don’t really care about their customers, and it’s all about being customer-centered. Offer your consumers helpful information, and be genuinely concerned and interested in them.<\/p>\n
\n~ Chandu Thota, Google Director of Engineering<\/p>\n\n
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\n92% of consumers get frustrated with interruptions in videos because of poor internet connection.
\n63.2% never want to get notifications from brands.<\/p>\n\n
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