This page collects the local SEO statistics worth citing in 2026: how often local searches turn into visits, how "near me" searches grew, how people use Google reviews and star ratings, how fast AI assistants are becoming a source of local recommendations, and which factors local search experts rank highest.
Every number links to where it was published, with its year. Google's own research on local mobile behavior dates from 2016 to 2018 and is still the standard citation, so those rows say so. Newer behavior data comes from BrightLocal's 2026 surveys of 1,002 US consumers and from large studies of which sources AI answers cite for local businesses.
Local search behavior
Local searches are close to a decision. People search, then go, call or buy, often the same day.
| Statistic | Source | Year |
|---|---|---|
| 76% of people who search on their smartphones for something nearby visit a business within a day. | Google, How mobile search connects consumers to stores | 2016 |
| 28% of those searches for something nearby result in a purchase. | Google, How mobile search connects consumers to stores | 2016 |
| 30% of all mobile searches are related to location. | Google, How mobile search connects consumers to stores | 2016 |
| Every month people visit 1.5 billion destinations related to what they searched for on Google. | Google, How mobile search connects consumers to stores | 2016 |
| Mobile searches for "stores open now" or "food open now" grew 2.1x in a year. | Google, How mobile search connects consumers to stores | 2016 |
The 76% and 28% figures come from a Google-commissioned digital diary study of 1,000 smartphone users, 634 of whom made local searches. The 30% figure comes from Google's global search data for April 2016. See our mobile search statistics for current device data.
Near me searches
Google's 2018 analysis of US mobile search data showed "near me" growing into a shopping and same-day intent.
| Statistic | Source | Year |
|---|---|---|
| Mobile searches for "___ near me today" or "tonight" grew 900%+ over two years. | Google, How "near me" helps us find what we need | 2015 to 2017 data |
| Mobile "near me" searches containing "can I buy" or "to buy" grew 500%+ over two years. | Google, How "near me" helps us find what we need | 2015 to 2017 data |
| Mobile searches combining "open", "now" and "near me" grew 200%+ over two years. | Google, How "near me" helps us find what we need | 2015 to 2017 data |
| Mobile searches for "___ near me now" grew 150%+ over two years. | Google, How "near me" helps us find what we need | 2015 to 2017 data |
All four figures compare July to December 2015 with July to December 2017 in the US. The 900% figure is the one most often quoted as "near me searches grew 900%". It applies to "near me today/tonight" searches specifically.
Reviews and star ratings
Reviews remain the main way people judge a local business they have not used. BrightLocal's 2026 survey asked 1,002 US adults.
| Statistic | Source | Year |
|---|---|---|
| 97% of consumers read online reviews when choosing a business. | BrightLocal, Local Consumer Review Survey 2026 | 2026 |
| 41% always read reviews, up from 29% the year before. | BrightLocal, Local Consumer Review Survey 2026 | 2026 |
| 71% use Google to read reviews, down from 83% in 2025, though Google is still the leading platform. | BrightLocal, Local Consumer Review Survey 2026 | 2026 |
| 49% trust online reviews as much as personal recommendations from people they know. | BrightLocal, Local Consumer Review Survey 2026 | 2026 |
| 68% will only use a business with 4 stars or more, up from 55%. | BrightLocal, Local Consumer Review Survey 2026 | 2026 |
| 31% will only use a business rated 4.5 stars or higher, up from 17%. | BrightLocal, Local Consumer Review Survey 2026 | 2026 |
| 89% expect business owners to respond to reviews. | BrightLocal, Local Consumer Review Survey 2026 | 2026 |
| 80% are likely to use a business that responds to all of its reviews, and 42% are unlikely to use one that never replies. | BrightLocal, Local Consumer Review Survey 2026 | 2026 |
| 50% are put off by templated or generic review replies. | BrightLocal, Local Consumer Review Survey 2026 | 2026 |
The rising star threshold matters: a business rated 4.3 now misses the bar for the 31% of shoppers who require 4.5 stars, nearly double the 17% a year earlier. Our guide to getting more Google reviews covers how to build a steady flow.
AI assistants and local recommendations
People now ask ChatGPT, Gemini and Google's AI features for local recommendations, and those answers draw on business profiles, directories and websites.
| Statistic | Source | Year |
|---|---|---|
| 45% of consumers use AI tools for local business recommendations, up from 6% the previous year. | BrightLocal, Local Consumer Review Survey 2026 | 2026 |
| 31% used ChatGPT for business recommendations in the last 12 months, followed by Google's AI Mode at 23%. | BrightLocal, AI trust and local recommendations | 2026 |
| 64% of adults aged 30 to 44 asked AI for a business recommendation in the past year, against 24% of over-60s. | BrightLocal, AI trust and local recommendations | 2026 |
| 42% of consumers trust AI platforms as much as online reviews. | BrightLocal, AI trust and local recommendations | 2026 |
| 88% of AI users fact-check AI sources. | BrightLocal, AI trust and local recommendations | 2026 |
| Google AI Overviews has over 2.5 billion monthly active users, and AI Mode over 1 billion monthly users. | Google, New controls for website owners | 2026 |
| In 1,967,762 AI citations for 1,355 local businesses, Google Business Profile was the top source at about 28.5% of citations. | BrightLocal, AI directory sources study | 2026 |
| Google Business Profile was cited for 94% of the businesses studied, Facebook for 93% and Yelp for 85%. | BrightLocal, AI directory sources study | 2026 |
| For dentists, Google Business Profile made up 57% of the citations in the sector. | BrightLocal, AI directory sources study | 2026 |
| In ChatGPT, 48.73% of citations came from third-party sites such as Yelp and TripAdvisor. | Yext, AI visibility in 2025 | 2025 |
| In Gemini, 52.15% of citations came from brand-owned websites. | Yext, AI visibility in 2025 | 2025 |
BrightLocal's citation study ran 60,970 checks across Google AI Overviews, AI Mode and ChatGPT for businesses in the US, UK and Australia. Yext analyzed 6.8 million citations across 1.6 million responses. Both companies sell listings tools, so read their figures with that in mind. To see whether ChatGPT, Claude and Gemini name your business for the questions your customers ask, run the free Rank.ai AI grade.
What local search experts rank highest
Google says local results are ranked on relevance, distance and prominence. Whitespark's annual survey asks specialists which specific factors carry the most weight.
| Statistic | Source | Year |
|---|---|---|
| 47 local search experts scored 187 factors for the 2026 Local Search Ranking Factors report. | Whitespark, Local Search Ranking Factors 2026 | 2026 |
| The primary Google Business Profile category is the top factor for the local pack and Maps, ahead of proximity to the searcher. | Whitespark, Local Search Ranking Factors 2026 | 2026 |
| A dedicated page for each service is the top factor for local organic results. | Whitespark, Local Search Ranking Factors 2026 | 2026 |
| Presence on expert-curated "best of" lists is the top factor for AI search visibility. | Whitespark, Local Search Ranking Factors 2026 | 2026 |
Rankings in the local pack also change block by block, because distance is one of Google's three ranking inputs. A free map scan shows your Google Maps position at each point of a grid around your location.
What these numbers mean for local businesses
- Treat your Google Business Profile as your main storefront. It is the top local pack factor in expert surveys and the most cited source in AI answers about local businesses. Our Google Business Profile optimization checklist goes field by field.
- Aim for 4.5 stars and reply to everyone. The share of consumers who require 4.5 stars nearly doubled in a year, and 89% expect replies. Write each reply yourself; half of consumers are put off by templated ones.
- Build one page per service. It ranks first for local organic results and second for AI visibility in Whitespark's survey.
- Get listed where AI looks. Yelp, Facebook, industry directories and "best of" lists feed AI answers. Keep your name, address and phone the same everywhere; see NAP consistency.
- Win same-day intent. Keep hours, holiday hours and "open now" information accurate, since searches with "today", "tonight" and "open now" grew fastest.
FAQ
What percentage of Google searches are local?
Google reported in 2016 that 30% of all mobile searches are related to location, based on its global search data. The figure "46% of all Google searches are local" circulates widely, but we found no Google source for it.
Is it true that 76% of local searches lead to a store visit within a day?
Yes, with a qualifier. Google's 2016 research found 76% of people who search on their smartphones for something nearby visit a business within a day, and 28% of those searches lead to a purchase. It was a diary study of 1,000 smartphone users, so it describes phone searches for nearby things only.
How much have "near me" searches grown?
Google reported in 2018 that mobile searches for "near me today" or "tonight" grew more than 900% over two years, and "near me" searches with "can I buy" or "to buy" grew more than 500%. The data compares the second half of 2015 with the second half of 2017 in the US.
Do people use ChatGPT to find local businesses?
Yes, and fast. BrightLocal's 2026 survey found 45% of US consumers used AI tools for local business recommendations, up from 6% a year earlier. ChatGPT was the most used, at 31%, followed by Google's AI Mode at 23%.
What star rating do customers expect?
In BrightLocal's 2026 survey, 68% of consumers said they will only use a business with 4 stars or more, and 31% require 4.5 stars or higher. Only 10% insist on a perfect 5 stars.
Sources and method
We prioritized Google's own published research and documentation, then recent surveys and citation studies with a stated sample. Google's local behavior studies are from 2016 and 2018 and are labelled with their year; BrightLocal's 2026 consumer survey sampled 1,002 US adults. Vendor studies are named with their sample. Some widely shared local statistics, such as "88% of local mobile searches lead to a call or visit within 24 hours", are left out because we could not trace them to a primary source. Every figure and link was checked on 2026-10-08.
