The report revealed consumers trust Google for local business search (93.2%), while AI seeks to improve accuracy and address human touch concerns.
Youtech’s data highlights opportunities for businesses to optimize across both traditional and AI search surfaces.
LISLE, Ill., July 14, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Youtech, a leading global full-service digital marketing agency, today announced the findings of its latest consumer survey, shedding light on how people search for local businesses online. The research indicates that while AI assistants are gaining traction, traditional search engines like Google remain the primary tool for local business discovery, highlighting specific areas where AI needs to improve to gain wider adoption.
“Our data clearly shows that consumers value reliability and comprehensiveness when searching for local businesses,” said Wilbur You, CEO of Youtech. “While the buzz around AI is undeniable, the numbers revealed a critical need for AI assistants to enhance their accuracy, real-time information, and integration with familiar tools to truly compete with traditional search for local businesses.”
Key Survey Findings:
Consumers continue to predominantly rely on traditional search engines for discovering local businesses. A significant majority, 93.2% of respondents, indicated they trust Google over AI for this purpose. Looking ahead, this preference seems likely to persist, as the report notes that AI is not yet replacing traditional search, though consumer interest is growing fast.
The survey highlights that Restaurants & Food (88%), Home & Home Improvement (55.3%), and Automotive (42%) are the most frequently searched local business categories. Despite the growing presence of AI, its adoption for local business searches is still relatively low, with 56.7% of consumers having never utilized an AI assistant for this specific purpose. For those who have, usage is infrequent, with 27.3% having done so in the last week.
The most critical factors identified for AI to compete with traditional search for local business discovery were more accurate, up-to-date info (39.1%) and better integration with maps (15%). This emphasizes a foundational trust deficit, as 93.2% of respondents would trust traditional Google Search more to find or evaluate a local business. Consumers prioritize the accuracy of information and trust when choosing between AI and traditional search tools.
A key concern about using AI for local business searches is missing the human touch (31.7%), followed by outdated or incorrect information (28.3%). Consumers value reviews, hours, photos, and service details most for local business searches. Furthermore, real-time information, such as real-time booking, is considered extremely important and a deal-breaker, if missing, by 9% of respondents.
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