When it comes to small businesses, the online world is becoming increasingly significant. Not only for small business owners — 90% of whom say having an online presence is important — but also for their customers, who are using the Internet to perform key actions such as search for local businesses, and (hopefully) purchase. In fact, of Internet users, 97% say they search for local businesses online, with 61% of local searches resulting in phone calls. And nine out of 10 people call or visit a business when found via local search.
