Local merchants are realizing a more powerful stance on mobile search with users increasingly able to directly order services within results, as evidenced by Pingup’s partnership with Yahoo as well as Yelp’s new tie-ups, including with Delivery.com.

As mobile search continues to be a major player for content, products and service discovery for consumers, booking and delivery has the possibility to drive significant sales through these partnerships. Pingup has partnered with Yahoo to allow users to natively book services without leaving its search platform while Delivery.com also announced a partnership with Yelp in which users can book laundry services.

“Pingup was founded on the premise that calls would disappear in lieu of texting and messaging on mobile. Consumers are living in an on-demand, mobile-centric world today,” said Mark Slater, CEO of Pingup. “They expect instant task completion 24/7 wherever they are, for any need.

“Pingup’s platform was built for the mobile consumer,” he said. “Now people can immediately close the commerce loop while staying within Yahoo’s search experience, transacting with local services like booking appointments, reserving classes and ordering food delivery with a click of a button.”

Delivering mobile search
Yahoo users searching for local delivery and services will now be able to seamlessly book without having to leave its mobile or desktop platform. Local restaurants and business that have partnered with Pinup will be able to drive sales by allowing users a more convenient and streamlined method of booking.

For instance, if a user is searching spa services within his or her area, a local spa partner’s information will appear within Yahoo’s search platform. Available services will appear within Yahoo’s Web site, along with prices, allowing users to book right there without having to continue to the businesses’ site.

Delivery.com is employing a similar strategy with its Yelp partnership in which users can order laundry services and dry cleaners through its application and Web site. Users can search and view the ratings of local laundry services on Yelp, and once they find one of interest, they can book clothing pickup and services without having to leave its platform.

The online delivery service first started its partnership with Yelp in 2013; enabling users to order food delivery in a similar fashion, meaning users do not have to leave Yelp.

Mobile search is a tool used often by consumers and users, and offers retailers a substantial opportunity to drive sales. Direct partnerships and integration with platforms such as Yelp and Yahoo can eliminate abandoned shopping cart rates by streamlining checkout and removing numerous steps.

Searching mobile moments
Similarly, in a reflection of the growing number of merchants tapping mobile location data, Denny’s bolstered its visibility across several sites and mobile applications, successfully reaching on-the-go consumers and urging them to visit a nearby restaurant (see more).

A Sears Hometown & Outlet Stores executive at the Mobile Marketing Association’s Mobile Location Leadership Forum revealed that local discoverability is one of the company’s top uses of mobile, as four in five local mobile searches culminate in a purchase (see more).

“Mobile search is critical since so many Internet users are leveraging their mobile device to execute searches and many are looking for services while on the go,” Mr. Slater said. “We even see mobile devices used at home in the evening for booking appointments after businesses are closed, 40 percent of our transactions took place outside of business hours in Q1 2016.

“This is happening for both hyper-local businesses and the local outlets of national brands,” he said. “Mobile search is the future of search, and action buttons, not calls, are the future of local task completion.”