Last year, 6% of consumers used AI tools to find local businesses.
Today, it’s 45%.
That’s not gradual growth. That’s a category shift from “niche experiment” to “mainstream habit” in months. (BrightLocal Consumer Review Survey, 2026).
45% of consumers use AI to find local businesses
And before you think “that’s America, not here” – yes, BrightLocal’s data comes from US consumers. But the UK follows these patterns closely, usually within months. If you’re running a local business in the UK and thinking this doesn’t apply to you yet, you might already be already behind.
ChatGPT, Gemini, Perplexity, Google’s own AI layer – people are asking these tools “who should I call?” and the tools are picking the answer for them.
Not showing a list of twenty options.
Picking.
Not everyone uses Google as their only way to search
That’s worth sitting with for a second. The old model was: someone types a search, gets a page of results, and clicks around until they find something that looks right. The new model is: someone asks a question, and gets one answer. Maybe two. If your business isn’t one of them, you don’t exist in that moment.
Now, Google isn’t dead. Let’s not get carried away. It still dominates traditional search, and most people still use it. But its grip is loosening. Its share as the go-to recommendation platform has slipped, and the average consumer now checks six different platforms before choosing a business. Six. That’s Google, review sites, social media, AI tools, and whatever else catches their attention on a given Tuesday.
So what does an AI tool actually look at when someone asks “who’s the best plumber in Louth?” or “where should I get my car serviced in Grimsby?”
It’s not looking at your follower count. It’s not impressed by your Instagram reels of Facebook posts.
AI Search is looking for credibility – content it can trust
It’s reading your website. Your Google Business Profile. Your reviews. Your directory listings (well, some of them). And it’s checking whether all of that information agrees with itself. Consistency matters to machines in a way it never mattered to a human scanning a list of search results.
- If your business name is spelled differently across three directories,
- if your opening hours don’t match between your website and your Google listing,
- if your website says almost nothing about what you actually do…
…you’re giving the AI nothing to work with.
AI can only recommend you based on what it knows
And here’s the thing most small business owners don’t think about: these AI tools don’t know you. They’ve never walked into your shop, never shaken your hand, never seen the quality of your work. They only know what’s written about you online. Every word on your website, every review, that’s your entire identity to them.
What does your online presence look like to a machine that’s never met you?
If the answer is “thin, inconsistent, or vague,” then to AI search, your business might as well not exist. And increasingly, to customers who rely on these tools, the same applies.
The good news? Most of your competitors haven’t figured this out yet either. The businesses that sort their online presence out now, proper website content, accurate listings, genuine reviews, consistent information everywhere, will be the ones the machines recommend.
It’s not complicated. But it does need doing.
What Small Business Owners Are Actually Asking About AI Search
Do I need to worry about AI search if my business relies on word of mouth?
Yes. Word of mouth is still valuable, but the way people verify recommendations has changed. Even when someone gets a personal referral, they’ll often check you out online before making contact. If an AI tool can’t find solid information about your business, that referral might go to waste. Your online presence backs up your offline reputation.
What information do AI tools use to recommend local businesses?
AI tools pull from your website content, Google Business Profile, online reviews, and directory listings. They look at whether your information is consistent across all these sources. If your address, phone number, or business description varies between platforms, AI tools are less likely to trust and recommend you.
Is Google still important or has AI search replaced it?
Google is still the biggest player in search by a wide margin. But its dominance is slipping, and consumers now use an average of six platforms when choosing a business. AI search is growing fast alongside Google, not instead of it. You need to be visible across both.
What’s the quickest thing I can do to improve my visibility in AI search?
Start with your Google Business Profile and website. Make sure your business name, address, phone number, services, and opening hours are accurate and match everywhere they appear online. Then make sure your website clearly describes what you do, where you do it, and who you do it for. AI tools need words to work with.
Does social media help with AI search visibility?
Not directly, in most cases. AI search tools primarily pull from websites, directories, and review platforms rather than social media posts. Social media is good for brand awareness and customer engagement, but if your entire online strategy is posting on Facebook and Instagram, AI tools have very little to work with when someone asks them for a recommendation.
