Impact of Search Listings
for Local Businesses
August 2014

Google Conﬁdential and Proprietary

Background and Methodology
Google and Ipsos MediaCT partnered to better understand the value toboth consumers and small businesses of business listing attributes as
they appear in search engine results. Potential listing attributes include
business photos, phone number, hours of operation, website and user
reviews.
This report explores the path to purchase, shopper attitudes andbehavior, as well as impact of complete business listings within Google
Search.
1,000 respondents were recruited and completed a 20 minute online
survey, which ﬁelded between July 8, 2014 and July 22, 2014.
Respondents met the following criteria for inclusion in this research:• Ages 18-64• Have used search to research any purchases in past 6 months• Made a purchased within a least one category within past 6 months• Sole or shared decision-maker for the category

The 5 categories covered by this program are:• Bakery• Mechanic• Salon / Barber shop
• Flower/Plant shop
• Hardware store
Respondents were assigned one of the 5 categories based onnatural fallout with a minimum of 100 per category.
Respondents were also exposed, based on random assignment,
to one of two Search Engine Results Pages in a “laboratoryenvironment” containing a business listing for the assigned
category. Respondents in the control cell saw a listing withminimal information, while respondents in the test cell saw a
veriﬁed listing for the same business. After exposure to thelisting, respondents were asked about their perceptions of thebusiness and expectations for the diﬀerent types of
information provided in the listing.

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Research Design and Survey Flow

Exposure to
Business Listing

Control
Screening
Questions

Path to Purchase
Questions
Test

Questions about
Business
Featured in
Business Listing

Questions about
Information
Included in
Business Listings

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Convenient hours and location play an important role in the decision to buy locally

Importance of Factors in Selection of Business (Extremely or Very important)
Price

75%

Was open convenient hours / Had convenient
appointments available

72%

Convenient to your current or future location

66%

Sells/Oﬀers a particular type of product or service

59%

Had a speciﬁc brand or product in stock57%

Had positive reviews

55%

Speciﬁc person was available to provide the service

46%

Was near other businesses/stores you visit

38%

Was recommended by friends, family or colleagues

38%

Information about the business/store was available
online38%

Base: Total Respondents (n=1000)
Q. How important were each of the following factors in selecting a business/store to purchase [CATEGORY] from in the past 6 months?
Note: In stock factor was shown only if bakery, ﬂower, or hardware quota and person availability was shown only if mechanic or salon quota

GoogleGoogle Conﬁdential
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Sources of Information
Gathered information before purchasing (Net)80%

Internet

51%

Family, friends or colleagues oﬄine

44%

Family, friends or colleagues online

16%

Salespeople or other business/store personnel

17%

TV

16%

Email or direct mail oﬀers

16%

Magazines/Newspapers

15%

Brochures or catalogues
Radio

Online (net):

56%

Family, friends, orcolleagues (net):

50%

10%
8%

Books

5%

Other

4%

Base: Total Respondents (n=1000)
Q. Which of the following sources did you use to gather information about [CATEGORY] in the past 6 months? Please think about any information gathering you did about products,
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5Consumers turn to search engines to gather information for local purchases

Online Sources of Information
Search engines

84%

Retailer/Business websites/apps

55%

Map websites/apps

33%

Social networking websites/apps

33%

Ratings/Review sites/apps
Coupon or Daily Deal websites/apps

28%
23%

Base: Gathered Info Using Internet (n=561)
Q. Did you use the following websites or applications (“apps”) in the past 6 months for the [CATEGORY] you purchased? Please think about any information gathering you did
about products, services, brands or businesses/stores.

GoogleGoogle Conﬁdential
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Timing of Usage of Sources

Beginning

MiddleEnd

Search engines

83%

29%

10%

Coupon or Daily Deal websites/apps

48%

50%

21%

Social networking websites/apps

47%

45%

23%

Retailer/Business websites/apps

45%

50%

21%

Map websites/apps

44%

38%

31%

Ratings/Review sites/apps

40%

55%

18%

Base: Used Speciﬁc Online Sources to Gather Info (ﬂoating base)
Q. When during your information gathering process did you use each of these sources? Please select all that apply for each.

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Consumers seek out business hours via search engines
Information Sought on Search Engines
Hours of a business/store

52%

Pricing or price range at a business/store

51%

Basic product feature or service description information

46%

Availability of item in a local store

46%

Reviews (of other shoppers professionals)

45%

Promotions or discounts

45%

Address of a business/store

38%

Phone number of a business/store

36%

Scheduling an appointment

36%

Pricing or price range (excluding those at a speciﬁc business/store)

35%

Product/Service comparisons

32%

Business/Store directions or location on a map

31%

Businesses/Stores oﬀering a particular product or service

25%

Ordering or delivery information

23%
15%

Photos of business/store
Other information

4%

Base: Used Search Engines To Gather Info (n=474)
Q. What type(s) of information related to your purchases of [CATEGORY] did you look for using search engines? This can include any information gathered about products,
services, brands or businesses/stores. Please select all that apply.
Note: Scheduling an appt. was asked only if mechanic or salon quota and ordering/delivery information was asked only if bakery, ﬂower, or hardware quotas.

GoogleGoogle Conﬁdential
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Ways Search Engines Helped
Saved me time

60%

Provided information to help me decide

51%

Helped me learn more about a product/service

38%

Prompted me to visit a business/store in person

38%

Helped me make a better choice of business/store

37%

Helped me learn more about a business/store

34%

Prompted me to look for more information31%

Prompted me to visit a business/store online

30%

Prompted me to make a purchase/appointment

24%

Introduced me to a business/store I didn't know about

23%

Introduced me to a product/service I didn't know about

engines to gather information say
search engines helped them19%

Prompted me to ask family, friends or colleagues about a business/
Other

99.6% of those who used search

14%
3%

Base: Used Search Engines To Gather Info (n=474)
Q. How did search engines help you, if at all, while you gathered information about [CATEGORY]? Please select all that apply.

GoogleGoogle Conﬁdential
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Information Sought on Map Sites/Apps

Local business/store hours

49%

Local business/store phone number

35%
21%

Local business/store interior or exterior photos

65%

searched for
local businessinformation

Exact location of a speciﬁc business/store

59%

Directions or distance to a speciﬁc business/store

59%

Travel time to a speciﬁc business/store

39%

Businesses/Stores near a particular location

33%

Businesses/Stores oﬀering a particular product or service

32%

Other information

90% found information on map

sites/apps (among those looking forthe info on maps)

3%

Base: Used Map Sites/Apps To Gather Info (n=186), Used Map Sites/Apps to Gather the Speciﬁc Info (ﬂoating base)
Q. What type(s) of information related to your purchases of [CATEGORY] did you search for using map sites/apps? This can include any information gathered about products,
services, brands or businesses/stores. Please select all that apply. Q. Thinking about the information you looked for related to, did you ﬁnd each type of information you werelooking for using map sites/apps?

GoogleGoogle Conﬁdential
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Ways Map Sites/Apps Helped

Saved me time

70%

Prompted me to visit a business/store in person

41%

Provided information to help me decide

32%

Helped me make a better choice of business/store

30%

Helped me learn more about a business/store

27%

Introduced me to a business/store I didn't know about

23%

Prompted me to visit a business/store online

23%

Prompted me to ask family, friends or colleagues about a business/
store

22%

Prompted me to make a purchase/appointment

21%

Prompted me to look for more information

19%

Other

97% of those who used maps
to gather information say maps
helped them4%

Base: Used Map Sites/Apps To Gather Info (n=186)
Q. And, how did map sites/apps help you, if at all, while you gathered information about [CATEGORY]? Please select all that apply.

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Exposure to Business Listing
Categories
BakeryFlower/Plant

Mechanic

Salon/Barber

HardwareControlCategories: bakery, mechanic, salon, ﬂower shop, hardware store; min n=100 per category

Test

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12Complete Listings within Search …
Engage Interest
51% more likely to be viewed as worth reading more
information about
43% more likely to be viewed as has what I need
79% more likely to be viewed as a place for someone
like meCreate Positive Brand Equity

Establish Trust
78% more likely to be viewed as well-established197% more likely to be viewed as a place I can depend on
91% more likely to be viewed as knows what it’s doing
201% more likely to be viewed as current
215% more likely to be viewed as oﬀers the latest
products or services

Motivate Action

501% more likely to be viewed as well-liked
204% more likely to be viewed as oﬀers quality
products or services

38% more likely to be viewed as a business I would visit
29% more likely to motivate consumers to visit thebusiness

94% more likely to be viewed as is a reputablebusiness

29% more likely to motivate consumers to consider
purchasing from this business

199% more likely to be viewed as cares about its
customers

Percentages are based on businesses with complete listings as compared to businesses with incomplete listings.

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Businesses with complete listings are more likely to be viewed positively than businesses
with incomplete listings
Words/Phrases That Describe Featured Business
51%
49%

Relevant to my search
28%

Worth reading more information about
8%

Well-liked

41% *
17%

Current

14%

29% *
29% *

31% *
26%

Convenient
12%

A place for someone like me
Old-fashioned

10% *
6%

Inexperienced

7% *None of these

34% *

20%

Has what I need
Reliable

43% *

2%

21% *

10%*
6%

Base: Saw Listing (Control=494, Test=496)
Q. The search results you saw featured a business. Just based on what you saw, which of the following words or phrases, if any, do you think describe this business?
Please select all that apply.
*indicates signiﬁcant diﬀerence at the 95% conﬁdence level

Control
Test

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Consumers are more likely to trust businesses with complete listings
Attitudes About Featured Business(Strongly/Somewhat agree)36%

Is a reputable business38%

Is well-established

Is a place I can depend on
Base: Saw Listing (Control=494, Test=496)
Q. Just based on what you saw, how much do you agree or disagree that each of the following describes the business?
*indicates signiﬁcant diﬀerence at the 95% conﬁdence level

67%*

32%

66%*
44%

Is a business I would visit

Oﬀers the latest products or services

67%*

35%

Knows what it's doing

Cares about its customers

68% *
49%

Is interested in new customers

Oﬀers quality products or services

69%*

31%
27%
28%

61%*
61% *
59%*
54%*

Total Control
Total Test

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Consumers are signiﬁcantly more likely to visit and consider purchasing frombusinesses with complete listings
Likely Actions After Seeing Search Results
49%
50%

Click through to visit the business's website
31%

Visit the business

40%*

36%
38%

Click to get driving directions
28%

Consider purchasing from this business

37% *

40% *
35%

Search for more information about this business

30%
27%

Call the business

21%
20%

Ask locals about this business
Email the business5%
6%

Control

None of these

8%
5%

Test

Base: Saw Listing (Control=494, Test=496)
Q. And, if you were in Sacramento, California, looking to purchase [CATEGORY], which of the following would you be likely to do after seeing the search
results? Please select all that apply.
*indicates signiﬁcant diﬀerence at the 95% conﬁdence level

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Photos and reviews stand out for consumers viewing complete listings, withbusiness hour information also noticed by mostInformation Recalled from Search Results
91% 93%

92% *
87%

90% *
78%

84% *

83% 82%Control

83% *
73% *

69% *

68%

63%
55% 55%

51%
38%

37%

35% *
27%

16%

Business
nameAddress

Location on
a map

Phone
numberPhotos

26% *
21%

24%*
11%

Reviews or Links to Hours open Option to
ratings
reviews or
click forratings
directions

Included in all listings
Base: Saw Listing (Control=494, Test=496)
Q. Do you recall seeing the following information about the business in the search results?
*indicates signiﬁcant diﬀerence at the 95% conﬁdence level

Test

Included only in complete listings

Option towrite areview

Emailaddress

Owner's
namePrice range

17% *
11%

Years inbusiness

Not included in any listing

GoogleGoogle Conﬁdential
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Completeness of Information in Search Results
12%

It tells me everything I needTells most or everythingthat is needed:

19%

41%
Test: 67%*

Control:29%

It gives me most of what I need

48%
35%

It gives me some of what I need

24%
21%

It gives me little of what I needIt gives me none of what I need

8%
3%
1%

Base: Saw Listing (Control=494, Test=496); Saw Listing (excl. outliers) (Control=490, Test=494)
Q. If you were visiting Sacramento, California, looking to purchase [INSERT CATEGORY TEXT], how much more time would you spend looking for information online after
seeing the search results? Please enter the number of minutes or indicate no more time.
Q. How well do these search results provide information about the business to help you make a yes or no purchase decision?
*indicates signiﬁcant diﬀerence at the 95% conﬁdence level

Control
Test

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Incomplete listings leave consumers feeling like they need more information inorder to make a purchase decision

Would continue looking for information
online after seeing search results:
Control:

80%* Test: 77%

Mean time consumers would spend
looking for more information:
Control:

13.7 min Test: 13.0 min

Base: Saw Listing (Control=494, Test=496); Saw Listing (excl. outliers) (Control=490, Test=494)
Q. If you were visiting Sacramento, California, looking to purchase [INSERT CATEGORY TEXT], how much more time would you spend looking for information online after
seeing the search results? Please enter the number of minutes or indicate no more time.
Q. How well do these search results provide information about the business to help you make a yes or no purchase decision?
*indicates signiﬁcant diﬀerence at the 95% conﬁdence level

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Consumers would ﬁnd most information contained in complete listings very helpful
Helpfulness of Information
Control: 76%
Test: 83%*
91%

60%

31%

Address

91%

88%

51%
71%

85%

20%
Business
nameControl: 55%
Test: 63%*

Control: 69%
Test: 78%*
81%

80%

74%

70%

Control: 38%
Test: 47%*

66%
59%

62%
72%

37%

Hours open

87%

Control: 66%
Test: 74%*

71%

67%

64%

43%
59%

57%

55%
39%

26%

Phone
numberEssential

14%

10%

13%

10%

11%

9%

Location on amap

Option toclick fordirections

Link tobusiness
websitePrice range

Positive
reviews or
ratings

Links topositive
reviews or
ratings

Extremely/Very helpful

4%4%

Photos

Option towrite a review

Essential / Extremely/Very helpful

Base: Total Respondents (n=1000)
Q. Below are some of the types of information about a business that can be available on the search engine results page (thus minimizing the need for you to clickthrough to another website). How helpful would each of the following be if they were included within your search engine results?
*indicates signiﬁcant diﬀerence at the 95% conﬁdence level

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Information found only in complete listings would have a positive impact on
consumers’ likelihood to use a business
Impact of Information in Search Results on Consumer Likelihood to Use BusinessControl: 86%
Test: 91%*
95%

49%

93%

45%

90%

44%

89%

46%

88%

49%

Control: 72%
Test: 79%*
88%

50%

87%

52%

87%

83%

47%

51%

80%

49%

75%

56%
51%
40%

46%

Hours open48%

Address

47%

Business
name

44%

Phone
number40%

38%

Price range Location on amap
Much more likely

More likely

35%

Link tobusiness
website40%

Positive
reviews or
ratings

32%

Option toclick fordirections

Much more / More likely

Base: Total Respondents (n=1000)
Q. And, if you were searching for information about a business, how much more likely would you be to use a business that had each of the following types of
information shown on the search engine results page?
*indicates signiﬁcant diﬀerence at the 95% conﬁdence level

31%

Links topositive
reviews or
ratings

24%
Photos16%
Option towrite a review

GoogleGoogle Conﬁdential
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Attitudes About Business Information on Search Engine Results Page
(Strongly/Somewhat agree)

Having business hours on the search engine results page would save me
time

85%
81%

Seeing where the business is on a map would save me time
Having more business information on the search engine results page would
allow me to ﬁnd a business that better matches what I'm looking for79%

I would avoid a business whose listing information turned out to beincorrect

77%

I prefer having more information directly within the search results, so I don't
have to click

72%

Seeing many positive reviews/ratings on the search engine results pagewould make me more comfortable using the business71%

I trust a business more if the business information is included on the searchengine results page67%

Having reviews on the search engine results page would save me time66%

I would avoid a business with little to no information on the search engine
results page

65%

Seeing photos of the business on the search engine results page indicates amore reputable business

Base: Total Respondents (n=1000)
Q. How much do you agree or disagree with each of the following statements about the business information on a search engine results page?
*indicates signiﬁcant diﬀerence at the 95% conﬁdence level

Control: 64%

Test: 69%*

51%

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Appendix

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Frequency of PurchaseOnce a week or more often

10%

Several times a month

16%

Once a month20%

Several times a year

46%
6%

Once a year
Less than once a year

Base: Total Respondents (n=1000)
Q. How frequently do you purchase [CATEGORY]?

2%

GoogleGoogle Conﬁdential
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81%

By phone

21%

OnlineMail order or catalog
Other

15%
3%
1%

Base: Total Respondents (n=1000)
Q. How would you characterize the type of businesses/stores you purchased [CATEGORY] from? Please select all that apply.
Q. How did you make your purchases/orders or place your appointments for your [CATEGORY] in the past 6 months? Please select all that apply.

57%

purchase fromlocal/small business

52%

purchase from large
regional/national business

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Familiarity with Geographic Area Where Looking to Make Purchase

Extremely familiar

40%

Very familiar

41%

Somewhat familiar

81% are extremely/very familiar
with the geographic area17%

Not very familiar

1%

Not at all familiar

1%

Base: Used Search Engines To Gather Info (n=474)
Q. When you did any searches using search engines related to your purchases of [CATEGORY], typically how familiar were youwith the geographic area where you were looking to make your purchase? Please select one response only.

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Shopping Attitudes(Strongly/Somewhat agree)

I rely heavily on previous experience, using the samebusinesses/stores79%

I seek deals and am price-conscious

77%

I try to use a business that is closest to my location

73%

I am loyal to a speciﬁc business/store

64%

I always want to buy an item or schedule an appointment assoon as possible

46%

I do heavy research and am willing to wait before I decide
which business/store I purchase from or use

45%

I am very interested in trying out businesses/stores I
haven't purchased from or used before
Friends and family have the greatest inﬂuence about whichbusiness/store I purchase from or use

Base: Total Respondents (n=1000)
Q. How much do you agree or disagree that each of the following describes how you purchase [CATEGORY]?
*Only asked if bakery, ﬂower or hardware quotas. **Only asked if mechanic or salon quotas.

41%
33%

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Websites/Apps Used to Gather Information for Any Purchases

100%

Search engines
80%

Retailer/Business websites/apps
66%

Map websites/app
59%

Social networking websites/apps
Coupon or Daily Deal websites/apps
Ratings/Review sites/app

48%
43%

Base: Total Respondents (n=1000)
S2. Did you use the following websites or applications ('apps') in the past 6 months to gather information before any purchases? Please think about any information gathering you did
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about products, services, brands or businesses/stores.

28

Devices Used

Laptop or Notebook

75%

Desktop PC (a non-portable PC)
9%Smartphone

70%
49%

Tablet Computer / Pad
Mobile phone25%

eReader
None of these

Base: Total Respondents (n=1000)
S1. Which, if any, of the following devices do you use?

Computer (Net)64%

Netbook or Webbook

97%

19%
0%

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Consumer Proﬁle: Demographics

Male

50%

59%

Married or living with partner

Have children

28%

White

College grad or higher

Employed

82%

45%

67%

42
Median Age$50K Median HHI

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Consumer Proﬁle: Device Usage

Use a computer97%

Use a smartphone

Use a tablet

70%

49%

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Consumer Proﬁle: Location

Suburban

Urban

Rural

54%

26%

20%

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Consumer Proﬁle: Website/App Usage For Purchases in Past 6 Months

Search Engines*

100%

Retailer/Business websites/apps

80%

Map websites/apps

66%

59%

Social networking websites/apps

Coupon or Daily Deal websites/apps

Ratings/Review sits/apps

48%

43%

*Note: Respondents had to have used search engines in the past 6 months to gather information before any purchases to qualify for the survey.

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  2014	
  Ipsos.	
  	
  All	
  rights	
  reserved.	
  Contains	
  Ipsos'	
  Conﬁden;al	
  and	
  Proprietary	
  informa;on	
  	
  
and	
  may	  not	  be	
  disclosed	
  or	
  reproduced	
  without	
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