Study: Search Impacts Offline Purchasing

A new study from ROIResearch indicates that online searches impact nearly as many purchases made offline as online. The research shows that for every $1 spent online, the search-user will spend another $2.56 with traditional retailers. The numbers for frequent searchers are even higher.

by Kristina Knight

The study, Quantifying the Offline Impact of Search, shows that search accounts for 49% of all online purchases. Search also accounts for 42% of retail purchases made in brick-and-mortar stores. Searchers who conduct an online search up to 10 times each year spend an average of $1,789 annually online. Those who search more than 31 times each year spend about $2,943 annually online. Conversely, traditional retail transactions are about $2,219 for those who search 10 times or less each year. For those who search more than 31 times each year about $3,839 is spent offline.

How can online marketers benefit from these purchasing habits? By adding search marketing to your online advertising musts. Beginning a search campaign based on popular keywords for your products – from fishing tackle to workout gear – is almost certain to net a few conversions because search is influencing between 20% and 30% of all transactions made a brick-and-mortar retailers.