97% of consumers read online reviews for local businesses
Verified Confidence: medium
Primary source found; it says the same thing, the scope matches, and it is reasonably current.
- Commonly cited as
- "97% of consumers read reviews"
- True origin
- BrightLocal — Local Consumer Review Survey 2026
- Type
- Stat check: A widely repeated statistic traced back to its origin.
- Year
- 2026
- Data as of
- BrightLocal survey, 2026
- Last checked
- What the source says
Reviews are a vital part of the business decision-making process, with 97% of consumers reading reviews online. In 2026, 41% of consumers “always” rea
- Method & sample
- BrightLocal's annual online survey of US consumers about local business reviews.
- Drift between quote and source
- 'Ever read' (97%) vs 'always read' (41%)
- Local businesses only
- Interest
- BrightLocal sells local SEO and review-management software.
Safe rephrasing
BrightLocal's 2026 Local Consumer Review Survey found 97% of consumers read reviews of local businesses and 41% always do; BrightLocal sells review software.
Sources we opened
Machine-readable: /api/claims/brightlocal-97-percent-read-local-business-reviews-2026.json · Last checked 2026-10-16