Depending on which study you look at, “near me” searches have increased by 200 to 900 percent in recent years. Learn more about what that means with more stats and information on local SEO below.

Consumers Incorporate Online Search into Their Buying Journey
You might know that between 75 and 95 percent of consumers start their buying journey online, most often in the SERPs. But did you know they continue to incorporate the internet as they move down the sales funnel?

More than 45 percent of consumers say they look online to double check inventory and options before they finalize a purchase. Anytime someone turns to the internet for information, there’s a chance a competitor with better SEO game might catch their interest. Maintaining your local SEO efforts can help make that less likely.

Potential Clients Might Contact You Before They Click Through
SEO is about showing up in search results. And since Google is getting increasingly more sophisticated, that’s more critical than ever.

Around 60 percent of smartphone users have contacted a business without first going to its website. Instead, they use click-to-call and other features right on the Google search results page to connect with you and get answers without waiting for pages to load or trying to view them on their device.

Home improvement companies shouldn’t just invest in on-page SEO to ensure they show up in search. You should also claim your Google My Business profile and take other steps to ensure people can get that immediate connection on SERPs if they want.

Local Search on Mobile is Powerful
More people get online with their mobile devices than with desktop devices. And those searches can have a lot of commercial intent. A search with commercial intent is one where the person has a serious plan to make a purchase in the near future.

In fact, more than 75 percent of people who conduct these types of searches on mobile devices visit or reach out to a relevant local business within one day. And almost 30 percent make a purchase.

As you can see, local consumers are actively looking for businesses they can trust and buy from. And without strong local SEO, your home improvement business might be letting the competition make all the best connections.