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Local SEO Statistics, Verified

Most local SEO statistics pages repeat each other. We took the 22 numbers that appear most often across the top-ranking roundups and traced each one back to where it actually came from. Checked 2026-09-16.

Local search statistics checked against their original sources

The short version

  • 11 of 22

    Verified: Primary source found, number matches, data from 2023 or later.

  • 7 of 22

    Outdated: Real source and correct number, but the data is older than 2023 or has been superseded.

  • 4 of 22

    Can't be traced: No primary study could be found behind the claim.

Verified statistics

  • 42% of searchers click on Google Map Pack (local pack) results.

    Verified

    Backlinko states 42% of local searchers click a result within the Map Pack, based on its own 2024 study.

    Primary source:
    Backlinko, data from 2024
    Repeated by:
    3 of the 6 top-ranking roundups we reviewed

  • 62% of consumers would avoid a business with incorrect online information.

    Verified

    62% of respondents said they'd avoid using a business if they found incorrect information about it online.

    Primary source:
    BrightLocal, data from 2023
    Repeated by:
    4 of the 6 top-ranking roundups we reviewed

  • 40% of consumers check a business's opening hours online at least monthly.

    Verified

    40% of consumers said they check business opening hours online several times a month.

    Primary source:
    BrightLocal, data from 2023
    Repeated by:
    4 of the 6 top-ranking roundups we reviewed

  • Businesses with a complete Google Business Profile are 2.7x more likely to be seen as reputable, 70% more likely to get a visit, and 50% more likely to get a purchase.

    Verified

    Verified directly on the live Google help page: "Customers are 2.7 times more likely to consider a business reputable if they find a complete Business Profile" and "70% more likely to visit and 50% more likely to consider purchasing."

    Primary source:
    Google
    Repeated by:
    4 of the 6 top-ranking roundups we reviewed

  • 80% of US consumers search for local businesses online weekly; 32% do so daily.

    Verified

    80% of consumers search for local businesses online at least weekly; 32% do so daily, per SOCi's 2024 Consumer Behavior Index.

    Primary source:
    SOCi, data from 2024
    Repeated by:
    4 of the 6 top-ranking roundups we reviewed

  • Businesses in the local 3-pack get 126% more traffic than those in positions 4-10.

    Verified

    SOCi's index reports a 126% traffic lift and 93% increase in actions (calls/clicks/directions) for local 3-pack businesses vs. lower positions.

    Primary source:
    SOCi, data from 2023
    Repeated by:
    3 of the 6 top-ranking roundups we reviewed

  • 94% of high-performing brands have a dedicated local marketing strategy, vs. 60% of average performers.

    Verified

    94% of high-performing brands report a dedicated local marketing strategy, compared with 60% of average-performing brands.

    Primary source:
    BrightLocal, data from 2024
    Repeated by:
    3 of the 6 top-ranking roundups we reviewed

  • 92% of local SEO/marketing professionals have experimented with ChatGPT.

    Verified

    92% of local marketing/SEO professionals worldwide had experimented with ChatGPT in their work as of July 2023.

    Primary source:
    BrightLocal (reported via eMarketer), data from 2023
    Repeated by:
    2 of the 6 top-ranking roundups we reviewed

  • 45% of consumers now use ChatGPT/generative AI for local business recommendations.

    Verified

    45% of consumers say they use ChatGPT or other generative AI tools for local business recommendations, per the 2026 edition.

    Primary source:
    BrightLocal, data from 2026
    Repeated by:
    2 of the 6 top-ranking roundups we reviewed

  • In ChatGPT Search local results, 58% of sources are business websites, 27% are business mentions, 15% are directories.

    Verified

    58% of ChatGPT Search local sources were business websites, 27% business mentions, 15% directories, per BrightLocal's own study.

    Primary source:
    BrightLocal, data from 2025
    Repeated by:
    2 of the 6 top-ranking roundups we reviewed

  • 66% of consumers trust Google most for local business information (vs. 45% Google Maps, 36% business websites).

    Verified

    66% of respondents said Google is their most-trusted source for local business info, ahead of Google Maps (45%) and business websites (36%).

    Primary source:
    BrightLocal, data from 2023
    Repeated by:
    3 of the 6 top-ranking roundups we reviewed

Outdated statistics

  • "Near me" searches grew by 500%-900%+ over two years.

    Outdated

    The page breaks the growth into several sub-categories: 500%+ for 'can I buy'/'to buy near me', 900%+ for 'near me today/tonight', 150%+ for 'near me now', 200%+ for 'open now near me' — all measured 2015 vs 2017.

    Primary source:
    Google (Think with Google), data from 2017
    Repeated by:
    3 of the 6 top-ranking roundups we reviewed

  • 76% of people who search for something nearby on a smartphone visit a business within a day.

    Outdated

    76% of smartphone local searchers visited a related business within a day of searching, per the May 2014 fielding.

    Primary source:
    Google / Ipsos MediaCT, data from 2014
    Repeated by:
    2 of the 6 top-ranking roundups we reviewed

  • 28% of local searches result in a purchase.

    Outdated

    28% of local searches in this 2014 study led to a purchase, within a day of searching.

    Primary source:
    Google / Ipsos MediaCT, data from 2014
    Repeated by:
    1 of the 6 top-ranking roundups we reviewed

  • 88% of consumers trust online reviews as much as personal recommendations.

    Outdated

    88% said they trusted online reviews as much as a personal recommendation, up from 79% in 2013 — a 2014 snapshot, not a current figure.

    Primary source:
    BrightLocal, data from 2014
    Use instead:
    42% of consumers trust online reviews as much as personal recommendations, down from 79% in BrightLocal's 2020 survey. Source
    Repeated by:
    1 of the 6 top-ranking roundups we reviewed

  • There are 149 potential ranking factors for local search results.

    Outdated

    The 2023 edition of Whitespark's expert survey evaluated 149 factors across local pack and organic rankings.

    Primary source:
    Whitespark, data from 2023
    Use instead:
    The 2026 edition of the same Whitespark survey expanded to 187 factors (scored by 47 experts), including new AI-search-visibility factors. Source
    Repeated by:
    3 of the 6 top-ranking roundups we reviewed

  • 58% of businesses don't optimize for local search; only 30% have a local SEO plan.

    Outdated

    The page states 58% of businesses don't optimize for local search and only 30% have a plan in place — published November 2021 and framed as a '2022' report.

    Primary source:
    ReviewTrackers, data from 2021
    Repeated by:
    2 of the 6 top-ranking roundups we reviewed

  • Every 10 new Google reviews improves Google Business Profile conversion by 2.8%.

    Outdated

    "For every 10 new reviews earned, conversion of Google profiles improves by 2.8%" — copyrighted 2022 on the report itself.

    Primary source:
    SOCi, data from 2022
    Repeated by:
    2 of the 6 top-ranking roundups we reviewed

Can't be traced statistics

  • 46% of all Google searches have local intent.

    Can't be traced

    No Google publication states this figure. It traces to a remark attributed to a Google representative at a 2018 industry conference, relayed on social media and industry blogs.

    Repeated by:
    4 of the 6 top-ranking roundups we reviewed

  • 72% of consumers who did a local search visited a store within 5 miles.

    Can't be traced

    HubSpot's own stats roundup states this figure but cites only "HubSpot Marketing Statistics" as the source — i.e., itself.

    Repeated by:
    1 of the 6 top-ranking roundups we reviewed

  • 97%+ of consumers look up a local business online before visiting or buying.

    Can't be traced

    We could not match this wording to any primary study. Roundups attribute it to other roundups. BrightLocal's closest current measure asks a narrower question: 84% of consumers searched online for a local business in the past three months.

    Use instead:
    84% of consumers searched online for a local business in the past 3 months. Source
    Repeated by:
    4 of the 6 top-ranking roundups we reviewed

Methodology

  • We reviewed the top-ranking “local SEO statistics” pages on Google: 6 could be read in full. One further page blocked automated access and was excluded.
  • We picked the statistics repeated most often across those pages.
  • For each one we followed citations back to the original study, survey or company page, using archived copies where the original had moved, and compared the number, wording, date and sample.
  • Claims attributed to Space Agency's own research, such as our ChatGPT vs Google local study, are not included here.
  • We will re-check this page when major annual surveys publish new editions.

Frequently asked questions

Cite this research

Space Agency. “Local SEO Statistics, Verified.” Published 2026-09-16. https://www.spaceagency.online/local-seo-statistics/

Journalists and researchers may use any figure on this page with a link to this URL. The underlying data is available on request.

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