Statistics about local search from SBI+ M:

• 97% of American internet users use the internet to shop and…
57% “shop online, purchase offline” (NPD Group)

• 90% of online commercial searches result in regular store purchases (proprietary research / comScore)

• 82% of local searchers follow up offline via an in-store visit, phone call or purchase (TMP / comScore)

• 80% of budgets are spent within 50 miles of the home (DMA / proprietary)

• 74% of internet users perform local searches (Kelsey Group)

• 73% of online activity is related to local content (Google)

• 66% of American use online local search, like Google local search to locate local businesses (TMP / comScore / proprietary average)

• 61% of local searches result in purchases (TMP / comScore)

• 54% of Americans have substituted the internet and local search for phone books (comScore networks)

• 35% of all searches are local (DM News)

• 25% of internet searches have a purely local, commercial focus (Kelsey-Bizrate)

Seems like the data is pretty conclusive. Local search and optimizing your website so that you appear as highly ranked as possible, is rapidly gaining in importance.

I think that no matter what technical innovations might come along (like smartphones, 4G networks, whatever,) the internet and your locally focused website will be a critical component of your marketing.

I also think that a critical component of your website’s performance and profit will be it’s search engine position. We’ve seen repeatedly that improving local search rankings can double your business; or more.