Survey: Search Engines Take Lead in Local Biz Search

This gets filed under beating a dead horse and running it over with a truck, again. Search engines are continuing to take market share from local media, including precious local business relationships.

According to a recent TMP Directional Marketing (TMPDM), comScore study, search engines are now the "first" resource used by consumers to find local business information.

First Resource
1. Search Engines (31%)
2. Print Yellow Pages or White Pages (30%)
3. Internet Yellow Pages Sites (19%)
4. Local Search Sites (11%)

A year earlier, yellow pages were the leading local information resource at 33%.

There are conflicting reports and debates about why there are conflicting reports. With that said, let's face it, when was the last time you used the Yellow pages? I use them once a year at my parents VERY rural home in New England. Why? Because my parents have dial-up.