New research unveiled by marketing software company, BrightLocal, reveals that consumers are raising the bar on what qualifies as a‘ good’ business. The number of shoppers who say they only consider businesses with ratings of 4.5 stars or higher has nearly doubled in a year, rising to 31 % from 17 %.

In addition, older reviews carry less weight than ever, with nearly three-quarters( 74 %) saying they only care about reviews written in the last three months. Meanwhile, almost half( 47 %) say they won’ t use a business that has fewer than 20 reviews.

Myles Anderson, Founder and CEO of BrightLocal, said:“ The Local Consumer Review Survey 2026 confirms what we suspected: rapid changes in consumer habits, new technologies and higher expectations mean that for SMBs a strong review pipeline is no longer an option – it’ s vital for survival.”

Other key findings include:

• Ninety-seven percent of consumers read reviews for local businesses

• The average consumer checks six different review sites before deciding

• Slow or generic review responses are viewed as a red flag – 81 % of consumers expect a response to their review within a week

Rise of the robots

THE REVIEW LANDSCAPE REWARDS BUSINESSES THAT ARE PROACTIVE, RESPONSIVE AND VISIBLE ACROSS CHANNELS.

other Generative AI tools for local recommendations has grown rapidly, leaping from 6 % last year to 45 % in the latest survey. This makes it the third most popular source of business recommendations behind only Facebook and Google.

Other key 2026 AI insights:

• Forty percent of consumers trust AI platforms to provide business recommendations

• Forty-two percent trust AI platforms as much as traditional reviews for local recommendations

• Eighty-two percent of consumers read AI-generated review summaries, with

23 % willing to rely solely on these to make a decision

While Google remains the number one source for reviews, its share has slipped from 83 % in 2025 to 71 % this year. Recent BrightLocal research also found that just 35 % of SMBs have a Google Business Profile, which means many businesses are stopping consumers from being able to read or write Google reviews.

Perhaps surprisingly, traditional review sites remain popular. Facebook, Tripadvisor, Apple Maps, Trustpilot, Healthgrades, Yellow Pages and Angi all saw increased usage over the last 12 months. Apple Maps nearly doubled in usage from 14 % in 2025 to 27 %.

Anderson added:“ Reviews remain a powerful catalyst for buying behaviour, but most consumers don’ t stop at a single platform. Instead, they also use websites, social media profiles and additional review channels to confirm their decision. The review landscape rewards businesses that are proactive, responsive and visible across channels. SMBs that actively generate fresh feedback, respond quickly and maintain consistent digital credibility will be best positioned to win trust.” �

The big story this year is the growth of AI. Consumer use of ChatGPT and

30 Intelligent SME. tech