Local Business Directory

While printed directory formats still exist, businesses and organizations are veering away from them to leverage the hyper-connectivity that is happening in the digital world. More and more people looking for information, for whatever purpose, are turning to the Internet for ease of use and a wide array of options. The Internet has changed how business is done with the emergence of electronic commerce. E-commerce is an all-embracing term that includes online shopping, virtual stores and malls, B2B and B2C transactions, supply chain and logistics automation, online payment systems, online banking and all ways that make doing business faster and easier with the click of a button or a mouse.

The rapid shift to online business directories to enhance local search for Small businesses is not merely a product of intuition. Hard facts support the need for Small businesses to use business directories to promote their businesses. Unlike traditional advertising through mass media and print, business directories and other online marketing ideas are can cost less and focus more on a targeted audience.

In a comprehensive study conducted by comScore, compelling figures and findings point to the rationale of business directories. The comScore undertaking was spearheaded by thought leaders in the local-search industry. With massive data and insightful analysis over a span of five years, the study used survey results to monitor customer online behavior and concluded that:

• Almost 70 percent of Internet searches are done on a search engine. Local search continues to expand with an exponential growth of 144 percent from 2007-2012.
• The need for fast information by people who are always on the go has significantly increased mobile local search. Local business search through social networks saw a three-fold increase since 2008.
• Local listings are the most trusted sites for the local search for small businesses