Consumer Search Trends Increase in March, According to New Rio SEO Findings

Data from over 170,000 GBP listings see a substantial increase in consumer travel and spending in March.

Rio SEO, the leading provider of an all-in-one local marketing platform proven to increase online visibility, released last month’s national consumer search behavior revealing the first consecutive increase across all verticals in total searches, total business listing views, and total clicks on a business listing month-over-month (MoM) in 2022.

Hotel and healthcare brands saw the largest increase in Google Search trends month-over-month. Hotels saw a 27% increase in total views, a 31% increase in total searches, a 17% increase in website conversions and a 31% increase in clicks for directions, MoM. Additionally, healthcare brands saw a 24% increase in total views, a 27% increase in total searches, a 22% increase in website conversions, and a 28% increase in clicks for directions.

According to Park Hotels & Resorts, occupancy for Park’s forty-eight hotels across the nation was up 63%, a substantial increase of more than ten percentage points compared to February, furthering Rio SEO’s findings. Group bookings for the remainder of 2022 tripled in March, an increase of 200,000 rooms a night, up from about 63,000 rooms in February.

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All eight verticals studied collectively saw a month-over-month increase in local search behaviors, averaging the following:

• 18% increase in total views
• 20% increase in total searches
• 15% increase in total clicks
• 20% increase in clicks for directions

“We are seeing the impact of the omicron variant lesson as almost every vertical and metric increased from the downward trend during the months of January and February,” said Ryan Weber, director of client success, Rio SEO. “One of the largest increases across all verticals was clicks for directions, exemplifying consumers are willing and able to engage in person with shopping, eating, and traveling. Additionally, March typically sees increases in travel and dining out with spring break and March Madness.”

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Additionally, Rio SEO reviewed year-over-year trends, seeing continued gains in listing views and searches across most verticals. Hotels, service businesses, quick-service restaurants, healthcare brands, and sit-down restaurants collectively saw an increase in both total search and total views. Collectively, those verticals saw a:

• 25% average increase in total views
• 19% average increase in total searches

“Rising prices for essential goods such as food, energy, and commuting expenses may have contributed to the year-over-year declines seen in retail search metrics,” added Weber. “It will be interesting to see how local search trends and spending are affected in the upcoming months by inflation, volatile oil prices, and increasing interest rates. The economy has seen a lot of momentum recently and consumer confidence seems to be supported by strong employment growth. We have high hopes that local businesses will be able to thrive throughout 2022.”