• by Laurie Sullivan  @lauriesullivan, December 9, 2008

One of the biggest shifts identified in a study that TMP Directional Marketing is expected to release today outlines the changing role of mobile search.

Consumers--who once thought of mobile search as a time-consuming hassle--now see it as innovative, revolutionized by Wi-Fi-enabled cell phones. While the iPhone and BlackBerry have helped spur the movement, consumers are performing searches on their cell phones that are changing the way people do business.

Of the three types of cell phones researched, it's apparent that standard cell phone users are very hesitant to conduct mobile searches, whereas PDAs with a data connection, or WiFi-enabled phone users, are much more likely to use mobile search--for example, 55% of PDA users and 61% of WiFi-enabled cell phone users.

The local search marketing agency TMPDM said its second annual "Local Search Usage Study," conducted by comScore, reveals consumer choices when searching for information online. The online local search tools and engines, from mobile to search engines, to local search and Internet Yellow Pge (IYP) sites, depend on their specific product or service-related needs.

During the past five years, it has become increasingly complicated for advertisers to reach and engage their target audiences, according to Gregg Stewart, SVP of Interactive at TMP Directional Marketing. "It is now more important than ever for marketers to have a balanced mix of media," he said. "Each marketer's mix requires extensive research, testing and ongoing optimization. As budgets tighten, TMPDM's Local Search Usage Study helps companies determine where they need to allocate their advertiser dollars."

The study found that although the majority of online local searchers had expectations, the type of information they found depended on the type of search site on which they conducted their search. For example, search activity for automotive services is primarily conducted on IYPs and local search sites, whereas consumers search for banking and finance needs on general search engines.

Consumers looking for information on plumbers, carpet cleaners and pest control more frequently searched online Yellow Page books such as yellopages.com and yellowbook.com. In fact, 53% searched IYPs, 28% sought information from general search engines, and 19% searched local search sites.

Indeed, 41% of consumers looking for information on moving and storage also favored IYPs; compared to 36% for general search engines; and 23% for 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 and finance, colleges and universities, dental, employment services, home improvement, home services, hotels, insurance, moving and storage and pizza.

The study aims to assist marketers understand how consumers look for local business information offline and how it impacts consumer search behavior online. It combines survey results from 3,000 respondents with observations, allowing researchers to analyze what consumers believe they do compared with their actions.