News flash for small businesses: Local is the new big thing. Moz has reported that over seven billion monthly Google searches in the US are local ones. That’s a lot, guys. But it doesn’t end in the search results: 76% of all local searches end in a phone call. And since Google shows local search results in generic searches, which means that users don’t even need to include a locational term (i.e. city or zip code) in their search, the reach for local businesses online is huge!

And don’t discount the use of smartphones: Mobile searches take local search seriously, with mobile results being pulled primary from local search engines. Half of all local mobile searchers end up in the store later that day, and 78% of the searches led to offline purchases.  Let me repeat that, because it’s monumental: over three-quarters of local searches end in something being bought.

Local search has huge power. Besides for the weight it’s pulling in terms of search engines, it also allows you to draw a niche audience of local patrons who are likely to become customers. You want to know how to optimize local search, you say? Read this article. If you're located in Baltimore, click here to learn about improving SEO for Baltimore businesses. In the wide world of SEO, this is among one of the greatest things any small business owner can do for themselves.