Local search accounts for more than 24 percent of Google queries, as more users look for nearby results.

Editors’ note: Brafton previously published an article based on the data from Chitika. We were later informed that the initial information was incorrect due to a mistake from Chitika. The following article is based on updated data supplied by Chitika.

A report from Chitika found that local search accounts for a substantial portion of traffic across major search engines. The data, which measured activity between September 21 and September 27, shows that 24.24 percent of Google searches are for local results. Meanwhile, 28.81 percent of Bing queries have a local slant and 25.28 percent of Yahoo searches are local .

Mobile search accounts for 16.37 percent of all local queries on Google, Chitika found. Marketers looking to attract these users can develop sites optimized for access on all web-enabled devices. Even with substantial local queries coming from desktops and laptops, appealing to smartphone and tablet owners is increasingly valuable.

Improving local SEO can be as simple as altering a keyword strategy to include certain geographic terms. However, it’s equally important that users of any device have access to a website at all times. Attracting a smartphone or tablet user with a dedicated content marketing campaign is a good start, but the foundation to engaging on-the-go local searchers is developing a mobile website that makes all page elements accessible via portable devices.

Moreover, Google is actively working to direct mobile users to content that impacts their search presence. Brafton recently highlighted a report from Bryson Meunier, who spotted icons next to SERP links to mobile-optimized sites. While it’s still unclear if this feature impacts search standing, the icons may help sites catch clicks – and mobile optimization helps build a quality user experience.

Joe Meloni is Brafton's former Executive News and Content Writer. He studied journalism at the University of Massachusetts, Amherst, and has written for a number of print and web-based publications.