What the counts say
BrightLocal ran 60,970 checks on three AI platforms. It also sells citation building. About 20% of the 1,355 locations were restaurants. All figures here were read on October 6, 2026.
| Group | Google Business Profile | Yelp | Out of |
|---|---|---|---|
| All locations, three platforms | 563,272 (28.63%) | 187,599 (9.53%) | 1,967,762 citations, 1,355 locations |
| ChatGPT only | Not in its top 10 sources | 99,281 (60.9%) | 162,966 third-party citations |
| Google AI Overviews only | 108,018 (67.1%) | 12,194 (7.6%) | 161,094 third-party citations |
| Google AI Mode only | 455,123 (52.8%) | 76,124 (8.8%) | 861,263 third-party citations |
| Plumbers | 14,412 (54%) | 3,691 (13.8%) | 26,672 citations |
| Services group | 74,995 (45%) | 20,557 (12.3%) | 166,499 citations |
Compare within a row, not between rows: the three platform totals add up to 1,185,323, not 1,967,762. BrightLocal does not say how many locations a sector group has or which platforms its sector citations come from, and says plumbers may overlap its services group.
The first table measures share of citations, not how many locations a source reached. By locations, Facebook matched Google for plumbers (28 each, Yelp 25) while holding 3.1% of plumber citations.
| Group | Google Business Profile | Yelp | |
|---|---|---|---|
| All locations, three platforms | 1,276 of 1,355 (94.17%) | 1,147 of 1,355 (84.65%) | 1,261 of 1,355 (93.06%) |
| Plumbers | 28 locations | 25 locations | 28 locations |
| Services group | 214 locations | 191 locations | 212 locations |
Where the studies disagree
BrightLocal's 2024 test did not show Yelp among ChatGPT's directory sources, its 2026 count puts Yelp first, and Yext's 2025 data says OpenAI's listing citations concentrate on Google.
| Study | Date and method | What it found | Who publishes it |
|---|---|---|---|
| BrightLocal, uncovering ChatGPT search sources | Published December 12, 2024; data collected November 2024. 800 manual ChatGPT searches, 20 business types in 20 US cities, first 10 sources recorded for each. | Business websites 58% of sources, business mentions 27%, directories 15%. Yelp, Facebook and Google Maps did not appear as directory sources. | BrightLocal: sells local SEO software, citation building and managed local SEO. |
| BrightLocal, top sources for local AI search | August 26, 2026. 60,970 tracker checks on three platforms, 1,355 locations in the US, UK and Australia, 1,967,762 citations. | Yelp was ChatGPT's top source: 99,281 of 162,966 third-party citations, and BrightLocal says it appeared in 80% of ChatGPT's local answers. Google Business Profile was the top source on both Google surfaces. | BrightLocal: sells the tracker that produced the data. |
| Yext, AI citations, user locations and query context | Published October 9, 2025; data July 1 to August 31, 2025. 6.8 million citations, questions asked through each model's API at clients' and prospects' locations in finance, food, healthcare and retail. | For OpenAI, listings were 48.73% of citations, concentrated on Google (over 465,000 citations). Websites and listings were each over 2.9 million of the 6.8 million citations. | Yext: a software vendor. The data came from its own Scout platform and its clients' and prospects' locations. |
| SE Ranking, AI Mode research | Published August 29, 2025; data collected June 20, 2025. 10,000 keywords searched from the US, not described as local; 9,734 got an AI Mode answer. | google.com was 5.7% of AI Mode citations (6,971 links). 6,824 of them (97.9%) went to Google Maps business profiles, in 902 of 9,734 answers. | SE Ranking: sells SEO software, including an AI Mode tracker. |
The Yelp gap could come from the date, the count (first 10 sources against every citation), the access (manual searches, a tracker or an API) or the sample. None of the four studies tests which of these matters. For what OpenAI itself publishes, see how AI assistants choose local businesses.
What to fix first
- If your Google profile is unclaimed or has a wrong phone, hours or service area, fix it first. It is the top source on both Google surfaces (108,018 and 455,123 citations) and 54% of plumber citations. Unsure you qualify? Use the Business Profile eligibility checker.
- If the profile is correct and your customers use ChatGPT, check Yelp next. Claim it if needed and match its name, phone and service area to the profile. Then check your Facebook page the same way: it reached 1,261 of 1,355 locations, close to Google's 1,276, with 2.23% of citations. Give each a check, not a project.
- If your own site does not state your services, service area, phone and prices, fix that third, or first if you have no site. One page on your current site can carry the facts; a new website is $2,000, one time, live 3 business days after your complete materials; see web design.
- If you run a restaurant, add Tripadvisor and OpenTable to the check: in BrightLocal's restaurant group (100,334 citations) Google was 45.2%, Yelp 21.8%, Tripadvisor 7% and OpenTable 6.6%.
What the numbers cannot tell you
- They count citations, not recommendations. No study here shows that fixing a cited source changes who is named.
- None of the four studies says its sample includes Virginia or Washington, DC. BrightLocal's 2026 data names the US, UK and Australia, its 2024 test says 20 US cities, SE Ranking says US locations, and Yext names four industries, not states. The plumber rows rest on 28 locations that cite Google.
- Every publisher sells a tool or service on this topic. Yext says Gemini uses Business Profile data without citing it, so a citation count can understate how much a source is used.
- BrightLocal's repeat searches overlapped 21% to 33% (more in AI search statistics for local businesses), so one check proves little. The AI answer sample size calculator turns 3 named in 10 answers into a 95% range for the true rate, 11% to 60%.
- We have not tested this order on a client, and we have no client results.
Sources
| Source | Used for | Page date | Date read |
|---|---|---|---|
| BrightLocal, top sources and directories for local AI search | The counts in the two tables, the restaurant and sector shares, the 80% Yelp statement, the 415 directories | August 26, 2026 | October 6, 2026 |
| BrightLocal, what 200k local AI searches tell us | The 42% website share, the 108,000 business-website domains, repeat-run overlap | September 16, 2026 | October 6, 2026 |
| BrightLocal, uncovering ChatGPT search sources | The 2024 test | December 12, 2024 | October 6, 2026 |
| Yext research | The 6.8 million citation figures and the Gemini note | October 9, 2025 | October 6, 2026 |
| SE Ranking, AI Mode research | The Google Maps profile links | August 29, 2025 | October 6, 2026 |
Questions people ask
How do I see which sources an AI answer used for my business?
Ask your buyer's question in a new chat and open the sources the answer lists. BrightLocal's 2024 test recorded the first 10 sources ChatGPT listed for each search. Do this before you change anything: write down each source with the date, repeat on other days, and count how often your Google profile, Yelp page and own site appear.
After Google and Yelp, which sites come next for a service business?
By share of citations in BrightLocal's services group (166,499, service-area and storefront businesses together): Facebook 4.4%, Better Business Bureau 1.6%, Angi 1.4%, MapQuest 1.2%, Houzz 0.7%, Thumbtack and HomeAdvisor 0.5% each. By locations reached, Facebook (212) was close to Google (214) and ahead of Yelp (191). BrightLocal sells citation building.
Does Reddit matter for AI answers about local businesses?
In BrightLocal's count Reddit was 1.79% of citations (35,144) but appeared at 1,204 of 1,355 locations (88.86%); Instagram was 1.91% (37,520) at 1,118 locations (82.51%). Yext put forums at about 2% of 6.8 million citations. These figures show where AI answers looked, not what a post would earn.
Do I need to be listed on dozens of directories?
BrightLocal counted 415 directories used as sources. In its top 50, reach drops after Google, Facebook and Yelp: MapQuest was cited at 741 of 1,355 locations (54.69%), Better Business Bureau 397 (29.30%), Angi 257 (18.97%). Those counts cover all sectors and three countries, and BrightLocal sells citation building.
Last updated October 6, 2026