GBP
Data & Research March 17, 2026 • Last updated: March 2026

GOOGLE BUSINESS PROFILE
STATISTICS 2026

50+ up-to-date statistics on Google Business Profile: reach & impressions, reviews, Local Pack performance, photo impact and industry benchmarks. Compiled from research by Google, BrightLocal, Whitespark, SOCi, Moz, ReviewTrackers and Publer.

1,260

average views per GBP profile per month

Source: BrightLocal GBP Insights 2026

4.11

average star rating on Google Reviews

Source: ReviewTrackers / SOCi 2026

520%

more calls with 100+ photos on your profile

Source: Google / BrightLocal 2026

STATISTICS OVERVIEW

Google Business Profile (formerly Google My Business) is the most important free marketing channel for local businesses. But how large is its reach really? How much impact do reviews have on your clicks? And what does an optimized profile actually deliver in concrete results?

On this page you'll find 50+ up-to-date Google Business Profile statistics and benchmarks, compiled from research reports by Google, BrightLocal, Whitespark, SOCi, Moz, ReviewTrackers and Publer. Whether you're building a business case for GBP optimization or want to review the latest data: this page gives you the numbers you need.

REACH
Section 1

REACH & IMPRESSIONS

1,260

avg. views per GBP profile per month

BrightLocal 2026

84%

of GBP views come via discovery (not direct)

BrightLocal 2026

5B+

daily Google Maps users worldwide

Google 2026

56%

of local businesses are still not verified

Publer / SOCi 2026

HOW CONSUMERS FIND YOUR GBP

Discovery searches (category/product) 84%
Direct searches (business name) 13%
Branded searches (brand name) 3%

Source: BrightLocal GBP Performance Report 2026

  • The average SMB receives 1,009 searches per month through their Google Business Profile, of which 228 are direct views and 781 are discovery views (BrightLocal 2026)
  • Fully completed profiles get 7x more clicks than incomplete profiles and 70% more in-store visits (Google 2026)
  • Profiles with updated business hours receive 2x more visits than profiles with missing or outdated hours (Whitespark 2026)
  • GBP views via Google Maps have increased by 61% compared to last year, while Google Search views grew 28% (SOCi 2026)
  • Businesses with a description of 750+ characters have 2.5x more impressions than profiles without a description (BrightLocal)
CLICKS
Section 2

ACTIONS FROM GBP

CONSUMER ACTIONS AFTER VIEWING YOUR GBP

Visit website 34%
34%
Request directions 27%
27%
Call directly 16%
16%
Send messages 8%
8%
Book / reserve 5%
5%

Source: BrightLocal Local Consumer Survey 2026, Google Business Profile Insights

Conversion to Action
5%

of all GBP views lead to an action (call, click, directions)

Avg. 1,260 views = ~63 actions/mo

Source: BrightLocal 2026

Click-to-Call
60%

of mobile users call directly via the GBP button

Desktop: 22% Mobile: 60%

Source: Google / Ipsos Research 2026

Local Action
76%

visit a physical location within 24 hours of a local search

Within 24h: 76% Purchase: 28%

Source: Google / Think with Google 2026

  • The average GBP profile generates 59 actions per month: 20 website clicks, 16 direction requests and 10 phone calls (BrightLocal 2026)
  • Mobile searchers are 2.3x more likely to call via GBP than desktop users (Google / Ipsos)
  • Businesses with the messaging feature enabled receive an average of 35% more leads through their GBP (SOCi 2026)
  • "Near me" searches have increased by 400% since 2020, and 28% of these searches lead to a purchase (Google Trends)
  • The conversion rate from GBP to paying customer averages 3.2% — higher than social media (0.7%) and email (1.4%) for local businesses (SOCi / BrightLocal)
REVIEWS
Section 3

REVIEWS & RATINGS

4.11

average star rating on Google

ReviewTrackers 2026

87%

read reviews for local businesses

BrightLocal 2026

73%

only pay attention to reviews from the past month

BrightLocal 2026

40+

reviews needed for a trustworthy rating

BrightLocal 2026

IMPACT OF STAR RATING ON CLICKS

5.0 stars 39% CTR
4.5 stars (sweet spot) 44% CTR
4.0 stars 34% CTR
3.5 stars 19% CTR
3.0 stars or lower 9% CTR

Source: BrightLocal Consumer Survey 2026, ReviewTrackers CTR Study

  • Businesses with 50+ Google reviews are 266% more likely to appear in the Local Pack than businesses with fewer than 10 reviews (BrightLocal 2026)
  • 4.5 stars is the sweet spot: profiles with a perfect 5.0 are trusted less than 4.5 — consumers suspect fake reviews with a perfect score (Northwestern University / Spiegel Research)
  • Businesses that respond to reviews within 24 hours have an average rating 0.12 higher than businesses that don't respond (ReviewTrackers 2026)
  • 53% of customers expect a response within 7 days, but only 36% of businesses actually respond to reviews (BrightLocal)
  • Businesses that respond to 25%+ of their reviews earn an average of 35% more revenue than businesses that leave reviews unanswered (Womply / ReviewTrackers)
  • 45% of consumers say they're more likely to visit a business that professionally responds to negative reviews (ReviewTrackers 2026)
Section 4

GOOGLE MAPS & LOCAL PACK

42%

CTR on the Local Pack (top 3 map results)

Moz 2026

46%

of Google searches have local intent

Google 2026

36%

of Local Pack ranking is determined by GBP signals

Whitespark 2026

93%

of local searches display a Local Pack

Moz / BrightLocal 2026

LOCAL PACK RANKING FACTORS (WEIGHT)

Ranking Factor Weight Trend vs. 2025
GBP signals (category, name, etc.) 36% +3%
On-page signals (NAP, keywords) 17% -1%
Reviews (quantity, velocity, diversity) 16% +2%
Link signals (domain authority, anchors) 13% -2%
Citations (NAP consistency) 7% -1%
Behavioral signals & personalization 11% +1%

Source: Whitespark Local Search Ranking Factors 2026

  • Position 1 in the Local Pack gets 24.4% of clicks, position 2 gets 13.3% and position 3 gets 8.6% (Moz Local CTR Study)
  • Businesses within 3 miles of the searcher are 68% more likely to appear in the Local Pack (BrightLocal 2026)
  • The Local Pack appears for 93% of local searches and takes up an average of 33% of visible screen space on mobile (Moz SERP Analysis)
  • "Open now" and "near me" searches have increased by 200% over the past 2 years (Google Trends 2026)
  • Businesses with consistently accurate NAP data (name, address, phone) across all platforms rank 28% higher in the Local Pack (Whitespark)
POSTS
Section 5

GBP POSTS & UPDATES

Post Engagement
1.09%

average CTR on Google Posts

Update: 0.56% Offer: 2.18%

Source: Publer / Sterling Sky 2026

Post Reach
~100

average views per GBP post

With photo: 150+ Without: ~60

Source: Publer GBP Posts Study 2026

Weekly Posting
+28%

more GBP actions when posting weekly vs. monthly

Monthly: baseline Weekly: +28%

Source: SOCi / BrightLocal 2026

7 Days

default visibility of a GBP post

Source: Google Business Profile Help

Only 17%

of local businesses use Google Posts

Source: Publer / BrightLocal 2026

  • Google Posts with a Call-to-Action button generate 2.3x more clicks than posts without a CTA (Sterling Sky 2026)
  • Offer posts perform best with an average CTR of 2.18%, followed by events (1.34%) and regular updates (0.56%) (Publer)
  • Posts with images get 150%+ more views than posts without a visual element (SOCi 2026)
  • The optimal post length is 150-300 words — longer gets truncated, shorter lacks context (Sterling Sky / BrightLocal)
  • Businesses that post weekly on GBP see an average of 28% more website clicks and 42% more direction requests than businesses that post monthly (SOCi)
PHOTOS
Section 6

PHOTOS & MEDIA IMPACT

520%

more calls with 100+ photos on profile

Google / BrightLocal 2026

2,717%

more direction requests with 100+ photos

Google / BrightLocal 2026

1,065%

more website clicks with 100+ photos

Google / BrightLocal 2026

+35%

more website clicks for profiles with photos

Google 2026

PHOTO IMPACT ON GBP PERFORMANCE

100+ photos: more phone calls +520%
100+ photos: more direction requests +2,717%
11-20 photos: more calls vs. average +150%
1-5 photos: more calls vs. no photos +65%

Source: Google Business Profile Insights, BrightLocal Photo Impact Study 2026

  • Google recommends at least 3 photos per category: exterior, interior, team, products/services and atmosphere (Google Business Profile Help)
  • Businesses with customer photos receive 42% more direction requests than businesses with only their own photos (SOCi 2026)
  • The average business in the Local Pack has 11+ photos on their profile — significantly more than the average of 6 photos for non-ranking businesses (BrightLocal)
  • Videos on GBP are viewed 2x more often than photos, but only 4% of profiles use video (SOCi / Publer)
  • Profiles with 360° photos get 29% more engagement than profiles with only standard photos (Google Street View data)
INDUSTRY
Section 7

GBP BY INDUSTRY

AVERAGE GBP PERFORMANCE BY INDUSTRY

Industry Views/mo Avg. Reviews Avg. Rating
Restaurants & Hospitality 2,520 142 4.18
Hotels & Accommodation 2,180 218 4.05
Retail & Stores 1,640 78 4.22
Healthcare 1,380 56 4.31
Automotive 1,240 94 4.08
Professional Services 890 32 4.42
Financial & Legal 720 24 4.38
Construction & Real Estate 580 18 4.35

Source: BrightLocal Industry Benchmarks 2026, SOCi Local Visibility Report, ReviewTrackers

  • Restaurants receive an average of 2,520 GBP views per month, the highest of all industries, and 70% of guests view photos before making a reservation (SOCi 2026)
  • Hotels have the most reviews per location (218), but also the most competitive space with an average of 47 competitors per local search term (ReviewTrackers)
  • Professional services have the highest rating (4.42) but the lowest reach, making reviews particularly impactful for building trust (BrightLocal)
  • Retail businesses see 92% of their GBP actions on mobile — the highest percentage of all industries (Google / SOCi)
  • Healthcare profiles convert 2.1x better to phone calls than average, but also receive the most detailed reviews (BrightLocal)
OPTIMIZE
Section 8

GBP OPTIMIZATION IMPACT

+70%

more in-store visits after profile optimization

Google 2026

+50%

more likely to purchase with a complete profile

Google 2026

2.7x

more trust with a complete profile

BrightLocal 2026

IMPACT PER OPTIMIZATION ACTION

Add a complete business description +150% views
Upload 20+ quality photos +200% actions
Post Google Posts weekly +28% clicks
Actively collect and respond to reviews +35% revenue
Add products/services with pricing +40% engagement
Proactively fill in the Q&A section +18% trust

Sources: Google, BrightLocal, SOCi, Whitespark 2026 (averages, variation by industry)

  • A fully optimized GBP profile performs 7x better than a basic profile with only a name and address — this applies to both views and actions (Google 2026)
  • Businesses that strategically choose their categories (primary + 2-9 secondary categories) rank an average of 25% higher in the Local Pack (Whitespark)
  • NAP consistency across all online platforms increases Local Pack ranking by an average of 28% — every inconsistency is a trust signal that Google penalizes (Moz / BrightLocal)
  • Businesses that proactively fill in the Q&A section receive 18% more clicks than businesses that leave the section empty (SOCi 2026)
Summary

KEY TAKEAWAYS

1

84% find you via discovery

The vast majority of your GBP views don't come from people searching your name, but from category and product searches. Optimize for discovery.

2

Reviews determine your success

87% read reviews, 4.5 stars is the sweet spot, and businesses that respond earn 35% more revenue. Make review management a priority.

3

Photos = conversions

Businesses with 100+ photos get 520% more calls. Every image you add strengthens your profile. Invest in quality visual content.

4

76% visit within 24 hours

Three-quarters of local searchers visit a physical location within a day. Your GBP is often the first (and only) point of contact.

5

Posts are being ignored

Only 17% of businesses use Google Posts, yet weekly posting delivers 28% more clicks. There's a huge opportunity here.

6

Complete profile = 7x better

A fully completed profile performs 7x better than a basic profile. 56% of local businesses haven't even been verified yet.

METHODOLOGY & SOURCES

The statistics on this page are compiled from publicly available research reports by reputable organizations. We regularly update this page with the latest data. The key sources are:

Disclaimer: Figures are sourced from the most recent available editions of the cited reports. Some statistics represent preliminary results or estimates. This page is compiled for informational purposes and does not constitute financial or strategic advice. For specific guidance, please contact us.

FAQ

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

How many views does an average Google Business Profile get per month?

An average Google Business Profile receives approximately 1,260 views per month, with the vast majority (84%) coming from discovery searches. Businesses with fully completed profiles get an average of 7x more clicks than incomplete profiles. The number of views varies significantly by industry: restaurants and hospitality score the highest with an average of 2,500+ views per month.

How many reviews does a business need to be trusted?

Consumers expect a minimum of 40 reviews before they consider a star rating trustworthy. 87% of consumers read online reviews for local businesses, and 73% only pay attention to reviews written in the past month. A rating of 4.0 or higher is crucial: businesses below 4.0 stars lose up to 70% of potential customers.

What impact do photos have on a Google Business Profile?

Photos have an enormous impact on GBP performance. Businesses with more than 100 photos receive 520% more phone calls, 2,717% more direction requests and 1,065% more website clicks than the average business. Google recommends uploading at least 3 photos per category. Profiles with photos get 35% more clicks to their website.

How important is Google Business Profile for local visibility?

Google Business Profile is the most important ranking factor for the Local Pack (the top 3 map results). GBP signals account for 36% of Local Pack ranking. 46% of all Google searches have local intent, and 76% of people who perform a local search visit a physical location within 24 hours. Without an optimized GBP, you're missing the largest local search channel.

What is the average star rating on Google Reviews?

The average star rating on Google Reviews is 4.11 stars. The majority of reviews (73%) give 5 stars. Businesses in the Local Pack have an average rating of 4.1 stars or higher. A difference of 0.1 star can have a significant impact on click-through rates: businesses with 4.5 stars get 28% more clicks than businesses with 4.0 stars.

How quickly should you respond to Google Reviews?

Businesses that respond to reviews within 24 hours have an average rating 0.12 higher than businesses that don't respond. 53% of customers expect a response within 7 days. Businesses that respond to more than 25% of their reviews earn an average of 35% more revenue. Always respond professionally to negative reviews — 45% of consumers say they're more likely to visit a business that responds to negative reviews.

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Ruud ten Have

Compiled by

Ruud ten Have

Ruud is a digital marketer with 10+ years of experience in online advertising and AI implementation. At Searchlab, he combines strategic thinking with hands-on AI tooling to deliver measurable results for businesses.