Want more business? Local Search Marketing is the key to getting more customers.

Let me paint a picture. A guy is walking down the street and feels the ol’ hunger pains. Those pains are telling him "stop for a slice of pizza already." He does a quick search on his phone and finds your competition is just a block away. Problem is he just walked by your place but was to busy searching on his phone to notice. So he keeps walking right into the competitions front door. Customer lost. Get it.

Here are a few facts for all you local business owners our there to digest.

• Business directories on mobile phones increased 14 percent year-over-year to 17.3 million users in March 2010.

• The number of people accessing business directories on a mobile device at least once per week increased more than 16 percent year-over-year to nearly five million in March 2010.

• The mobile browser was the most common access method for users, with 10.8 million subscribers in March 2010 and 21 percent year-over-year growth.

• Apps show a 42 percent year-over-year growth in the number of mobile subscribers using apps to access business directories.

• 58% of mobile searchers are 34 or younger; over half have a household income in excess of $75,000.

• The number of people accessing restaurant information and maps saw the biggest increase (over 45 percent), followed by online movies and online directories (42 and 25 percent respectively).

• Local searchers not only using phones but computers have a higher propensity to make a contact and purchase post search.

• More Smartphone users take advantage of ratings and reviews.

• The preferred mode to access local content remains the mobile browser, with over 29M users in June 2010

The most important thing to remember about mobile searchers is that they are ready to spend money.  Smartphone users are 3xs more likely to conduct a local search via their phones. 

If you are a local business owner you had better get on the ball and start putting your business on the map. At least start with Google, Yahoo and Bing.

With 61 percent of mobile users accessing local content via mobile applications — don’t forget about putting a listing together for these as well. Here’s a short list: Yelp, Four Square, Gowalla, Facebook Places and Twitter Places. Remember the customer that just walked by your business? Don’t make that mistake again.

A comScore study found that the reach of Internet Yellow Pages is extending to mobile devices. This increase outpaces the10 percent growth in the number of mobile media users.

Other interesting mobile-related data points from the comScore study include:

• 59 percent of smartphone users search on their phone

• 23 percent of users on "standard" cell phones used search.

• 58 percent used their browser

• 28 percent directly contacted assistance

• 6 percent used text

• 7 percent used local phone applications

With most consumers searching online to find local business, over 70 percent use the web as primary research method. You need to be listed locally. If not, that customer is just going to keep walking by your door!

Well if that’s doesn’t open you eyes to what’s coming I don’t know what will.

There’s nothing casual about the mobile searcher. They want it and they want it NOW! The thing to focus on here is to build your local brand so that people know it. They will tell others, your business will get noticed and last but not least more customers.

One of the best and most trusted local search marketing companies out there is TurnUp Local. You can learn more about them at http://www.turnuplocal.com