What the research says.

Get found

• 97%

  of consumers say they read reviews for local businesses. 89% expect the owner to reply.

  Source: BrightLocal, Local Consumer Review Survey 2026 (1,002 US adults).

  Limits: A survey of what people say they do. BrightLocal sells review software.

• 45%

  of consumers say they used AI tools for local recommendations, up from 6% a year earlier.

  Source: BrightLocal, Local Consumer Review Survey 2026.

  Limits: Self-reported. A jump this large may partly reflect how the question was asked.

• About half as many clicks.

  When Google shows an AI summary, people click a result in 8 of 100 searches. Without one, 15 of 100.

  Source: Pew Research Center, July 2025 (900 US adults, 68,879 real Google searches).

  Limits: All kinds of searches, not only local or shopping. Data from March 2025.

• Complete profiles show up more.

  Google says businesses with complete and accurate information are more likely to show up in local search results.

  Source: Google Business Profile Help.

  Limits: Google gives no number.

• Number one.

  Local search experts rank a listing's main category as the top factor in map results. Distance from the searcher is second.

  Source: Whitespark, 2026 Local Search Ranking Factors (47 experts).

  Limits: Expert opinion, not measured data. Whitespark sells local search tools.

• 2.5 seconds.

  Google's bar for a fast page: the main content loads within 2.5 seconds for at least 75% of visits.

  Source: Google, web.dev.

  Limits: A threshold, not a promise about sales.

Fill the store

• 21% more store visits.

  Google reports that retailers who add local inventory ads to their Shopping ads see 21% more store visits and 9% more online conversions for products available in store.

  Source: Google Merchant Center Help. Google data, global, July 2023 to July 2024.

  Limits: Google's own data about its own ad product. All retailer sizes, worldwide. Store visits are Google's estimate.

Bring them back

• 5% of sends, 41% of revenue.

  Across 183,000 accounts, automated emails made up about 5% of emails sent and about 41% of email revenue.

  Source: Klaviyo, 2026 Email Marketing Benchmarks.

  Limits: Klaviyo's own customers, mostly online sellers. Klaviyo sells the automation. Online orders only.

Why it matters now

• 9% against 3%.

  Running shoe sales grew 9% across retail channels in the year to September 2025. Run specialty grew about 3%.

  Source: Circana (9%) and Karnan Associates (3%), as reported by SGB Media, December 3, 2025.

  Limits: Two data firms compared. Circana's figure leaves out brands' own direct sales. Trade press report of a conference session.

• $145.95 a pair.

  Run specialty sells running shoes at an average of $145.95, about 43% above the $102 average across all channels.

  Source: Karnan Associates and Circana, as reported by SGB Media, December 3, 2025.

  Limits: Two data firms compared. Panel size not published.

Brand-funded growth

Every brand you carry sets money aside to help its retailers advertise. There is no reliable published figure for how much goes unclaimed, so we won't quote one. We'll show you what yours is.