This page collects 72 Google review statistics, each linked to Google's own announcements and help pages, or to the survey or study it comes from, with its year and sample. Google's yearly fake review reports from 2021 to 2025 are listed in full. For reviews on every platform, see our online review statistics.
Rank.ai data: Google reviews of the businesses AI recommends
We asked ChatGPT, Claude, Gemini and Perplexity to recommend plumbers in 5 US cities with 3 prompts each: 60 answers, 460 picks and 226 distinct businesses, each checked against Google Maps through DataForSEO. AI engines pick businesses with high Google ratings and hundreds of reviews, yet few of them sit in the Maps top 10. Check whether AI names your business with the free Rank.ai AI grade.
- 4.76 to 4.83stars is the average Google rating of AI-picked plumbers, by engine. ChatGPT's picks average 4.83.loc.ai local AI index2026
- 1,097is the median Google review count of plumbers Claude picks, and 1,055 for Perplexity.loc.ai local AI index2026
- 713is the median Google review count of plumbers ChatGPT picks, and 736 for Gemini.loc.ai local AI index2026
- 12%of AI picks rank in the Google Maps top 10 for the same search.loc.ai local AI index2026
- 16of the 50 Google Maps top-10 plumbers were named by any AI engine.loc.ai local AI index2026
- 1 in 18AI picks (25 of 460) had no matching Google Maps listing. Claude had none, ChatGPT 7.7%.loc.ai local AI index2026
How many people use Google reviews
Google is still the first place people read reviews, though its share fell in 2026 as Apple Maps and AI tools grew. BrightLocal surveys about 1,000 US adults each year.
- 71%of consumers use Google to read reviews of local businesses, down from 83% in 2025.BrightLocal, Local Consumer Review Survey2026
- 45%of consumers wrote their reviews on Google, the most used site for writing reviews.BrightLocal, Local Consumer Review Survey2026
- 1 billion+reviews were shared on Google Maps in 2025.Google, Protecting businesses on Maps2026
- 81%of all online reviews are posted on Google, across over 150,000 businesses.Birdeye, State of Online Reviews2025
- 2 billion+people use Google Maps each month.Google, 20 years of Google Maps2025
- 500 millionpeople a year contribute reviews, photos and ratings to Google Maps, which lists about 250 million places.Google, 20 years of Google Maps2025
- 81%used Google for local reviews in 2024, down from 87% in 2023.BrightLocal, Local Consumer Review Survey 20242024
- 20 millioncontributions a day were made to Maps and Search in 2023, including reviews, photos and business hours.Google, How machine learning keeps contributed content helpful2024
- 87%used Google for local reviews in 2022, up from 63% in 2020, against 48% for Yelp.BrightLocal, Local Consumer Review Survey 20232023
Average Google ratings and review counts
Google ratings have risen over time, and most reviews are short. SOCi analysed 4.9 million reviews on 31,326 Google Business Profiles from 53 multi-location brands. BrightLocal's 2018 study covered 93,845 local businesses.
- 4.11stars was the average Google rating in July 2022, up from 3.74 in January 2015.SOCi, State of Google Reviews2022
- 1.0star higher is the typical gap between a business's Google rating and its Yelp rating.SOCi, State of Google Reviews2022
- 52.4%of Google reviews in the dataset had no text.SOCi, State of Google Reviews2022
- 5.8new Google reviews per business per month in July 2022, down 56% from a peak of 13.1 in August 2019.SOCi, State of Google Reviews2022
- 4.84stars was the highest industry average (moving and storage), against 3.06 for healthcare.SOCi, State of Google Reviews2022
- 39Google reviews is the average for a local business, including those with none.BrightLocal, Google Reviews Study2018
- 74%of local businesses had at least one Google review.BrightLocal, Google Reviews Study2018
- 4.42stars was the average Google rating, and 61% of businesses averaged 4 to 5 stars.BrightLocal, Google Reviews Study2018
- 5%of local businesses averaged below 3 stars on Google.BrightLocal, Google Reviews Study2018
Google reviews and local rankings
Google says local results rank on relevance, distance and prominence, and that "more reviews and positive ratings can help your business's local ranking" (Google Business Profile Help). Whitespark's 2026 survey of 47 local search experts ranked 187 factors.
- 3factors decide Google local rankings: relevance, distance and prominence. Review count feeds prominence.Google Business Profile Help, How Google determines local ranking2026
- #6of 187 local pack factors is a high Google rating of 4 to 5 stars.Whitespark, Local Search Ranking Factors2026
- #9for the local pack is the number of Google reviews with text.Whitespark, Local Search Ranking Factors2026
- #11for the local pack is review recency, and #14 a steady flow of new reviews over time.Whitespark, Local Search Ranking Factors2026
- #36for the local pack is keywords in Google reviews, and #42 positive sentiment in review text.Whitespark, Local Search Ranking Factors2026
- #122for the local pack is owner responses to most reviews, far below rating and count.Whitespark, Local Search Ranking Factors2026
- 47Google reviews on average for businesses in local positions 1 to 3, against 38 for positions 7 to 10.BrightLocal, Google Reviews Study2018
- 4.47stars on average for businesses in local positions 1 to 3, against 4.45 for positions 7 to 10.BrightLocal, Google Reviews Study2018
- 20%of businesses in local positions 1 to 3 had no Google reviews.BrightLocal, Google Reviews Study2018
Google reviews, clicks and calls
A Google profile with a better rating and more reviews turns more searchers into calls, website visits and direction requests. Searchers on Google Maps weigh star ratings and review counts more than most.
- 42%of people searching on Google Maps look at the star rating, and 42% at the number of reviews.BrightLocal, Consumer search behavior: decisions2026
- 42%of people searching on Google Search look at the star rating, and 41% at the number of reviews.BrightLocal, Consumer search behavior: decisions2026
- 33%of local searchers chose not to contact a business because of negative reviews, the top reason.BrightLocal, Consumer search behavior: decisions2026
- 44%more Google profile conversions follow a one-star rise in rating, for example from 3.0 to 4.0.SOCi, State of Google Reviews2022
- 4.4%more conversions come with each tenth of a star.SOCi, State of Google Reviews2022
- 2.8%better Google profile conversion comes with every 10 new reviews.SOCi, State of Google Reviews2022
- 2.3%is the average conversion rate of a Google profile into calls, website clicks or direction requests.SOCi, State of Google Reviews2022
- 126%more traffic and 93% more conversion actions go to businesses in the local 3-pack than to lower-ranked businesses.SOCi, State of Google Reviews2022
- 64%of businesses with the top star rating appeared in local positions 1 to 3.BrightLocal, Google Reviews Study2018
Replying to Google reviews
Google says replies show customers you value their feedback. Consumers now expect them within days, and replying lifts conversions, though few brands reply to most reviews.
- 89%of consumers expect businesses to respond to reviews.BrightLocal, Local Consumer Review Survey2026
- 19%expect a reply on the same day, up from 6%, and 32% by the next day.BrightLocal, Local Consumer Review Survey2026
- 42%of review responses are now written with AI or automation.Birdeye, State of Online Reviews2025
- 16.4%higher Google profile conversion comes from responding to every review compared with none.SOCi, State of Google Reviews2022
- 4.1%more conversions come with every 25% of reviews answered, with smaller gains above about 67%.SOCi, State of Google Reviews2022
- 23.4%of 5 star Google reviews got an owner reply, against 8.6% of 1 star and 2.0% of 3 star reviews.SOCi, State of Google Reviews2022
Fake Google reviews: what Google removes each year
Google publishes yearly totals for the reviews, profiles and edits it blocks or removes on Maps.
- 292 million+policy-violating reviews were blocked or removed in 2025.Google, Protecting businesses on Maps2026
- 13 million+fake Business Profiles were removed in 2025.Google, Protecting businesses on Maps2026
- 79 millioninaccurate or unverified edits were blocked in 2025, and 782,000+ accounts had posting restricted.Google, Protecting businesses on Maps2026
- 240 million+policy-violating reviews were blocked or removed in 2024.Google, Google Maps uses AI to fight fake Business Profiles2025
- 12 million+fake Business Profiles were removed or blocked in 2024, and 900,000+ accounts had posting restricted.Google, Google Maps uses AI to fight fake Business Profiles2025
- 10,000+listings from one group impersonating locksmiths were removed in 2024.Google, Google Maps uses AI to fight fake Business Profiles2025
- 170 million+policy-violating reviews were blocked or removed in 2023, over 45% more than in 2022.Google, How machine learning keeps contributed content helpful2024
- 5 million+fake review attempts were caught within a few weeks during a single scam in 2023.Google, How machine learning keeps contributed content helpful2024
- 123,000+businesses got temporary protection after suspicious activity in 2023.Google, How machine learning keeps contributed content helpful2024
- 115 million+policy-violating reviews were blocked or removed in 2022, over 20% more than in 2021.Google, How Google Maps uses machine learning to fight fake contributions2023
- 20 millionattempts to create fake Business Profiles were stopped in 2022, 8 million more than in 2021.Google, How Google Maps uses machine learning to fight fake contributions2023
- 95 million+policy-violating reviews were blocked or removed in 2021, and 7 million+ fake Business Profiles taken down.Google, How we kept Maps reliable in 20212022
Fake reviews, the law and consumers
US law now covers fake reviews directly, and consumers want platforms to act. Google added new protections in 2026, including pausing reviews on a profile during a spam spike.
- $53,088is the maximum FTC civil penalty per violation of the Consumer Review Rule, which covers fake Google reviews.FTC, warning letters press release2025
- 10companies got FTC warning letters in December 2025 for possible breaches of the rule.FTC, warning letters press release2025
- 5-0was the FTC vote in August 2024 to ban fake reviews, bought reviews and undisclosed insider reviews.FTC, final rule banning fake reviews2024
- 46%of consumers want businesses caught with fake reviews removed from Google search results.BrightLocal, Local Consumer Review Survey2026
- 63%say review platforms are responsible for catching fake reviews, and 49% say businesses are.BrightLocal, Local Consumer Review Survey2026
- 50%felt confident they had seen fake reviews on Google.BrightLocal, Local Consumer Review Survey 20232023
Google reviews in AI answers
Google Business Profile, with its reviews and rating, is the most cited source when AI tools recommend local businesses. Our AI Overviews statistics and ChatGPT statistics cover how those answers appear.
- 28.6%of 1,967,762 AI citations for 1,355 local businesses came from Google Business Profile, the top source.BrightLocal, Top sources for local AI search2026
- 94%of the businesses studied were cited through their Google Business Profile.BrightLocal, Top sources for local AI search2026
- 57%of AI citations for dentists came from Google Business Profile, and 54% for plumbers.BrightLocal, Top sources for local AI search2026
- #8of 187 factors for AI search visibility is a high Google rating of 4 to 5 stars.Whitespark, Local Search Ranking Factors2026
- 82%of consumers read AI-generated review summaries.BrightLocal, Local Consumer Review Survey2026
- 48%read the AI review summary first, and 18% would decide on the summary alone.BrightLocal, Local Consumer Review Survey 20252025
What this means for your Google Business Profile
- Get a steady flow of reviews with text. Count, recency and a steady pace each rank in the local pack top 15. Our guide to getting more Google reviews covers how to ask.
- Aim for 4.5 stars or more. 31% of consumers now require it, and AI picks average about 4.8.
- Reply to every review. Answering all reviews lifts conversions by 16.4%, and 89% of consumers expect it.
- Keep it clean. Google removed 292 million reviews in 2025 and can pause reviews on a profile during a spike. Bought reviews risk FTC fines too.
- Check the rest of your listing. Accurate details across directories help both Maps and AI; see NAP consistency and our local SEO statistics.
FAQ
Do Google reviews help local rankings?
Yes. Google's help page says more reviews and positive ratings can help a business's local ranking. Whitespark's 2026 survey of 47 experts ranks a 4 to 5 star rating #6 and the number of Google reviews with text #9 of 187 local pack factors.
How many reviews does a business need on Google?
47% of consumers won't use a business with fewer than 20 reviews (BrightLocal, 2026). In BrightLocal's 2018 study, businesses in the top 3 local positions averaged 47 Google reviews. The plumbers AI engines recommend have a median of 713 to 1,097.
What is the average Google review rating?
SOCi measured an average of 4.11 stars across 31,326 Google profiles in July 2022, up from 3.74 in 2015. BrightLocal's 2018 study of 93,845 local businesses found 4.42 stars among those with at least one review.
How many fake reviews does Google remove?
Google blocked or removed over 292 million policy-violating reviews and over 13 million fake Business Profiles in 2025. That compares with 240 million reviews in 2024, 170 million in 2023, 115 million in 2022 and 95 million in 2021.
Does responding to Google reviews help?
SOCi found that businesses replying to every review convert 16.4% better on Google than those replying to none. 89% of consumers expect a reply, though Whitespark's experts rank owner responses low as a direct ranking factor (#122 for the local pack).
Sources and method
We used Google's own Maps blog posts and Business Profile help pages first, then studies with a stated sample: BrightLocal's Local Consumer Review Survey (1,002 to 1,141 US adults a year), BrightLocal's Google Reviews Study (93,845 businesses) and AI sources study (1,967,762 citations), SOCi (31,326 Google profiles), Birdeye (150,000+ businesses), Whitespark's survey of 47 experts and the FTC's announcements. The Rank.ai figures come from the loc.ai local AI index, October 2026: 60 answers from 4 AI engines across 5 cities and 3 prompts about plumbers, with 460 picks checked against Google Maps via DataForSEO. Every figure and link was checked on 2026-10-16.
