Search With a Local Focus

TMP Directional Marketing’s Latest Research: Online Local Consumer Search Behavior Varies Depending on Specific Product and Service-Related Needs

Interactive Senior Vice President Gregg Stewart Warns Marketers Against “One-Size Fits All” Approach

NEW YORK (December 9, 2008) – TMP Directional Marketing (TMPDM), the largest local search marketing agency, announced today vertical findings from its second annual Local Search Usage Study conducted by comScore. According to the research, consumers choose different online local search tools – Search Engines, Local Search Sites and/or Internet Yellow Pages (IYPs) – based on their specific product or service-related needs.

For example, search activity for Automotive Services is primarily conducted on IYP and Local Search Sites, while Banking & Finance needs are typically satisfied with general Search Engines. Additionally, the study demonstrated a higher than average amount of online searching on IYPs for Home Service needs.

“TMPDM’s study illustrates that successful local search advertising cannot be a ‘one-size fits all’ approach,” said Gregg Stewart, Senior Vice President of Interactive, TMPDM. “Advertisers must examine consumer search behavior, based on their vertical sector, before deciding how to allocate their budgets.”

Based on online observed behavior of more than 1 million consumers, the findings for specific vertical searches included:

Home Services (Plumbing, Carpet Cleaning, Pest Control, etc.)

  • 53% searched IYPs
  • 28% searched General Search
  • 19% searched Local Search Sites

Moving & Storage

  • 41% searched IYPs
  • 36% searched General Search
  • 23% searched Local Search Sites

Insurance

  • 54% searched General Search
  • 38% searched IYPs
  • 8% searched Local Search Sites

TMPDM’s Local Search Usage Study measured consumer searching behavior on Search Engines, Local Search Sites and IYPs for 11 vertical categories: Automotive Services, Banking & Finance, Colleges & Universities, Dental, Employment Services, Home Improvement, Home Services, Hotels, Insurance, Moving & Storage and Pizza.

Research was based on an online survey of 3,000 respondents as well as the observed behavior of nearly 1 million consumers utilizing comScore’s proprietary online panel. The study defines general search engines as search portals, e.g., Google.com and Yahoo.com; Internet Yellow Pages as online directories, e.g., Superpages.com, YELLOWPAGES.COM; and Local Search sites as locally-focused online destinations, e.g., Google Maps, Yahoo! Local.

For more information about TMPDM’s Local Search Usage Study, please visit www.localsearchstudy.com.

TMP Directional Marketing

TMP Directional Marketing (TMPDM) is the largest local search marketing agency, offering online, offline and mobile advertising solutions to top national brands. Combining its years of success in Yellow Pages advertising with online search expertise gained as a former unit of Monster.com, TMPDM serves hundreds of clients, including nearly 100 Fortune 500 companies. Privately held by the Audax Group, TMPDM is headquartered in New York with 600 employees and 15 offices in the U.S. and Canada. For more information, visit www.tmpdm.com.