Google users utilize the 'near me' feature when searching for nearby restaurants. But consumers are also using other sites to find dining places and false online reviews remain a problem in the search effort, reveals a Uberall study.
A majority of consumers, 69%, are using Google to find local business information and more than 20% are also tapping Apple Maps, Yelp and/or Yahoo to get insight on nearby businesses. One out of five consumers use platforms like OpenTable, DoorDash and GrubHub.
Those are top findings from a Uberall study conducted with MomentFeed, an Uberall company. The report polled over 1,000 U.S. consumers and analyzed local online performance of nearly 80,000 business locations, including fast-casual and quick-service restaurants, according to a press release.
"Google is essential for local restaurants, but it's not the only site that matters for visibility," Greg Sterling, vice president, insights, at Uberall, told QSRWeb in an email interview. "Consumers use a number of mobile apps and local search sites to discover local restaurants and reviews before deciding where to eat."
During the pandemic, non-branded searches became more prominent, meaning consumers searched for the "what" ("ice cream near me") over the "who" (e.g. Baskin Robbins near me).
"The increase in non-branded local searches is a complex phenomenon, largely driven by the value consumers place on proximity, immediacy, and convenience," Nick Hedges, chief strategy sfficer and EVP, North America, Uberall, said in an email interview.
Fewer restaurants listed their companies during the pandemic, decreasing 19% year-over-year, with the largest decrease in clicks to directions, indicating more interest in delivery.
"There were a number of interesting findings in the survey," Sterling said. "One surprise was the degree to which consumers were now wary about the accuracy and trustworthiness of online reviews. About 67% said fake reviews were either a 'major problem' or 'starting to 'become a problem.' They were adapting by checking multiple review sites for the same businesses."
Sterling added that only 12%, of more than 1,000 respondents, said it wasn't important to be able to return an purchase to a local store.
"This doesn't directly apply to restaurants but it makes the larger point that the online and offline experiences are now joined at the hip. In a restaurant context, that means online ordering or food delivery," he said. "Two-thirds of respondents said they considered national chains to be 'local businesses.' This is not typically how brands think of themselves. And recognizing this is the way the consumer thinks has immediate marketing implications in terms of location-marketing tactics and positioning for these restaurants."
Sterling noted that restaurants are the "quintessential near-me search."
"The majority of restaurant lookups happen on smartphones and typically they're by category rather than branded or navigational (like) 'best sushi restaurant near me.'"
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August 23, 2021 at 05:00PM
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Google still top restaurant search tool, false reviews remain challenging - Fast Casual
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