Annual Local Search Volume Could Exceed 20 Billion Searches in 2006

Kelsey: US. Annual Web search usage and volume is projected to cross the 100 billion threshold during the next 12 months, driven by a range of advances and new developments in general and vertical search as well as video and multimedia search. In parallel with those larger trends, local commercial searches could surpass 20 billion (or 20 percent of Web search) during 2006. With increasing user awareness and the introduction of dynamic new local products, including maps, user-generated content, mobile local search and local targeting via IPTV, local searches could potentially exceed 30 billion by 2009.

The projected growth in local search usage, and its impact on how businesses will allocate $100 billion in advertising budgets targeting consumers in geographically defined markets. Paid search advertising may well reach $7 billion in 2005. Based on today’s traffic volume, local search should be a $1.4 billion marketplace, yet it is less than $500 million.

http://www.kelseygroup.com/press/pr051115.htm Publ 20051207