Google profiles and directory activity
The report surveyed more than 1,000 US small-to-medium business owners. In their rankings of customer acquisition channels, Google placed fifth, behind word-of-mouth at 35%, social media at 33%, AI tools at 23% and direct website traffic at 22%.
Although 85% of small businesses reported having a Google Business Profile, only 35% said they kept an active presence there. For 21%, more than three months had passed since their last profile update. On citation and directory sites, 26% of businesses remained active.
Review expectations and business practices
Review counts reveal another gap between consumer expectations and business practices. The marketing report found that 47% of small businesses had fewer than 20 Google reviews. In BrightLocal's separate Local Consumer Review Survey 2026, the same share of consumers said they would not consider a business with fewer than 20 reviews.
Published February 11, 2026, the consumer survey drew on a representative panel of 1,002 US adults. It found that 97% read local business reviews, while 74% cared only about reviews posted within the previous three months.
Ratings also affected consumers' willingness to use a business: 31% required at least 4.5 stars, compared with 17% a year earlier. Positive reviews increased the likelihood of using a business for 85% of respondents; negative reviews reduced that likelihood for 77%. Nearly half, 49%, trusted online reviews as much as recommendations from people they knew.
Owners' responses mattered to consumers as well. The marketing report found that 89% of consumers expected business owners to answer reviews, but only 51% of owners said they regularly did so.
AI recommendations gain users
The consumer survey also recorded a rise in the use of ChatGPT and other generative AI tools to find local business recommendations. Usage climbed from 6% in 2025 to 45% in 2026, putting AI third among sources of business recommendations.
Trust was a separate measure: 40% of consumers said they trusted AI platforms to recommend businesses.
