According to new research from Placeable, consumers are increasingly frustrated with location search, with many losing trust in brands over outdated and inaccurate data, and even turning to competitor businesses.

Placeable is announcing the findings in a new report, “Be Found: Location-Based Marketing Insights.”

The survey found that consumers are all too often given outdated and incorrect information from search engines, mobile apps, directories and even brand websites. Key findings in the report released today also include:

- 73 percent of consumers say they lose trust in a brand when the online listing shows incorrect information
- More than two-thirds (67 percent) say they lose trust in a brand if they get lost walking or driving to a location because of an incorrect address listing
- More than 60 percent of consumers would go to a competitor if they received a special offer while searching for a specific business
- 55 percent say they consider it helpful when ads are personalized to their needs and interests

“Consumers are being given the wrong location, wrong operating hours, and a myriad of other misinformation that is leaving them disappointed, angered, and in many cases, turning to competitors,” said Ari Kaufman, CEO, Placeable. “Marketers are not just failing to recognize that consumers are becoming frustrated with local search, they’re missing the connection between bad location data and brand loyalty, and ultimately, brand profit.”

To better understand the habits of today’s empowered consumers, Placeable surveyed more than 1,000 U.S. consumers and marketers asking how local search is driving or hurting brand reputation.

The survey also found that marketers are outpacing consumers in adopting habits that drive brand engagement, and ultimately, brand growth. Marketers were found to desire more personalized offers from brands, and are adopting mobile habits at a faster pace by more often using their smartphones to find brand location data on the go.

“The majority of local search still takes place on the desktop,” said Kaufman. “The mobile device is the tool for navigating the consumer to the product or service that they have already decided to buy. A break-down between consumer and brand while in transit is a solvable problem.”

Source: Placeable