--- title: "ChatGPT Local Business Recommendations: Websites Win 3.9x" url: https://www.suffdigital.com/resources/data-studies/website-ai-local-recommendations description: "ChatGPT local business recommendations favor websites: it picks 12.3% of businesses with one against 3.2% without, a 3.9x gap. See the data." lang: en --- Share Share on X: https://twitter.com/intent/tweet?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.suffdigital.com%2Fresources%2Fdata-studies%2Fwebsite-ai-local-recommendations&text=Local%20Businesses%20With%20a%20Website%20Are%203.9x%20More%20Likely%20to%20Be%20Recommended%20by%20ChatGPT Share on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/sharer/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.suffdigital.com%2Fresources%2Fdata-studies%2Fwebsite-ai-local-recommendations Share on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/sharing/share-offsite/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.suffdigital.com%2Fresources%2Fdata-studies%2Fwebsite-ai-local-recommendations Share on Reddit: https://www.reddit.com/submit?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.suffdigital.com%2Fresources%2Fdata-studies%2Fwebsite-ai-local-recommendations&title=Local%20Businesses%20With%20a%20Website%20Are%203.9x%20More%20Likely%20to%20Be%20Recommended%20by%20ChatGPT ChatGPT recommends **12.3%** of local businesses that have a website on their Google Maps listing and 3.2% of those without one, a 3.9x gap. On Gemini the gap widens to 10.5x. Analysis of 139,294 Google Maps listings in 1,580 city and service searches · ChatGPT and Gemini answers and Google Maps results, September 2026 ## Key Findings 1. 1. ChatGPT recommends **12.3%** of local businesses with a website against 3.2% of local businesses without one, a 3.9x gap. Copy stat 2. 2. Gemini recommends 3% of local businesses with a website and **0.3%** of those without one, a 10.5x gap. Copy stat 3. 3. Among the top 20 Google Maps results, local businesses with a website are recommended by ChatGPT **28.7%** of the time, against 9.3% for those without. Copy stat 4. 4. **18.7%** of local business listings on Google Maps have no website, and auto repair shops have the lowest coverage, with 62.4% linking one. Copy stat 5. 5. Chiropractors with a website are recommended by ChatGPT **8.8x** as often as those without, the widest gap of 20 local services; for locksmiths the gap is 2x. Copy stat ## Summary Two chiropractors work on the same street, both with good ratings on Google Maps. One links a website from its listing; the other has only the listing. Ask ChatGPT for the best chiropractor in town and the first is more than eight times as likely to be named. AI assistants now answer "who's the best [service] near me?" for a growing number of customers, and they name a short list. A business left off that list loses the customer before any comparison begins. A website gives the assistant a page it can read to confirm what a business does, where it works and why it is worth recommending. ChatGPT recommends **12.3%** of local businesses that have a website and 3.2% of those that do not, a 3.9x gap. Businesses without a website are named by ChatGPT about a quarter as often, and on Gemini the gap is 10.5x. ## What we measured On September 23, 2026 we took the top 100 Google Maps listings for 20 local services, from dentists and HVAC companies to restaurants and locksmiths, in 79 US cities. That gave 1,580 city and service searches and 139,294 listings, and we recorded whether each listing links a website. 113,237 do and 26,057 do not. We then asked ChatGPT and Gemini "What are the best [service] in [city]?" for each search and matched the businesses they named to the Google Maps listings. A listing counts as recommended when it appears in the answer. The recommendation rate is the share of listings in a group that the assistant named, so the comparison shows how often businesses with and without a website are named. ## Businesses with a website are named nearly four times as often 12.3% of local businesses with a website are recommended by ChatGPT, against 3.2% of local businesses without one. That is a 3.9x gap, and it holds among the most prominent listings too. Among the top 20 Google Maps results, the businesses people are most likely to see, those with a website are recommended 28.7% of the time and those without 9.3%, a threefold difference among businesses that already rank well. Recommended by ChatGPT by group Listings with a website 12.3% Listings without a website 3.2% Top 20 Maps results, with a website 28.7% Top 20 Maps results, without a website 9.3% Source: Suff Digital analysis of 139,294 Google Maps listings in 1,580 city and service searches · ChatGPT and Gemini answers and Google Maps results, September 2026 | Group | Recommended by ChatGPT | Recommended by Gemini | | --- | --- | --- | | Listings with a website | 12.3% | 3% | | Listings without a website | 3.2% | 0.3% | | Top 20 Maps results, with a website | 28.7% | n/a | | Top 20 Maps results, without a website | 9.3% | n/a | A website adds what a Maps listing cannot: service pages, locations, prices, staff and a written description in the business's own words. That text is what AI assistants draw on when they explain why a business is worth calling, and a business without it gives them far less to work with. ## Gemini almost never names a business without a website Gemini is stricter still. It recommends 3% of listings with a website and 0.3% of listings without one, a 10.5x gap. A local business with no website is named by Gemini about three times in a thousand. Most local businesses have already cleared this bar: 81.3% of Google Maps listings link a website. The 18.7% that do not are named far less often. Coverage varies by trade. 92.4% of veterinarian listings and 92.1% of personal injury lawyer listings link a website, against 62.4% of auto repair shops, so the gap matters most in trades where many businesses still run on a listing alone. ## Every service shows the gap In all 20 services, ChatGPT recommends businesses with a website more often than those without. The ratio is widest for chiropractors at 8.8x, then HVAC companies at 7.7x, moving companies at 7.4x and real estate agents at 7.1x. In these trades customers compare credentials, services and prices, and a website is where that information lives. With website by service Chiropractor 12.9% HVAC company 13.6% Moving company 11.8% Real estate agent 8.5% Pest control 14.2% Dentist 12.6% Personal injury lawyer 12.1% Gym 13.1% Veterinarian 14.5% Hair salon 12.2% Emergency plumber 12.9% Accountant 11.8% Restaurant 8% Auto repair shop 11.6% Locksmith 12.8% | Service | With website | Without website | Ratio | | --- | --- | --- | --- | | Chiropractor | 12.9% | 1.5% | 8.8x | | HVAC company | 13.6% | 1.8% | 7.7x | | Moving company | 11.8% | 1.6% | 7.4x | | Real estate agent | 8.5% | 1.2% | 7.1x | | Pest control | 14.2% | 2.2% | 6.4x | | Dentist | 12.6% | 2.2% | 5.7x | | Personal injury lawyer | 12.1% | 2.4% | 5.1x | | Gym | 13.1% | 2.7% | 4.9x | | Veterinarian | 14.5% | 4.1% | 3.5x | | Hair salon | 12.2% | 3.8% | 3.2x | | Emergency plumber | 12.9% | 4.2% | 3.1x | | Accountant | 11.8% | 4.4% | 2.7x | | Restaurant | 8% | 2.9% | 2.7x | | Auto repair shop | 11.6% | 4.7% | 2.5x | | Locksmith | 12.8% | 6.6% | 2x | The gap is narrowest for locksmiths (2x), auto repair shops (2.5x) and restaurants (2.7x). Locksmiths without a website are still recommended 6.6% of the time, about twice the 3.2% rate for all businesses without one. Restaurants are also covered heavily by review sites and local guides. ## What this means for local businesses If your business has no website, build one. A simple site with a page for each service, your city and service area, your hours and your phone number gives ChatGPT and Gemini something to read, and a website is the clearest difference between the businesses they name and the ones they skip. Our small business web design (https://www.suffdigital.com/services/web-design/small-business) team builds sites for local businesses with AI visibility in mind. If you already have a website, make sure it is linked from your Google Business Profile, because the link is what ties the two together. Then check the site says plainly what you do and where: service names customers actually search, the towns you cover and the details that set you apart. In the trades with the widest gaps, such as chiropractic, HVAC and moving, the businesses ChatGPT names are far more likely to have a website. ## Embed this research Paste this on your site to embed the charts. It links back to the source automatically.

Source: Local Businesses With a Website Are 3.9x More Likely to Be Recommended by ChatGPT - Suff Digital

## Cite this study APA Suff Digital. (2026). Local Businesses With a Website Are 3.9x More Likely to Be Recommended by ChatGPT. https://www.suffdigital.com/resources/data-studies/website-ai-local-recommendations Plain link Local Businesses With a Website Are 3.9x More Likely to Be Recommended by ChatGPT - Suff Digital - https://www.suffdigital.com/resources/data-studies/website-ai-local-recommendations ## Frequently asked questions ### Are businesses with a website recommended by AI more often? ### Does Gemini recommend businesses without a website? ### How many local businesses on Google Maps have no website? ### In which local services is the website gap widest? ## Related studies - AI SEO ChatGPT Picks 1.9% of Local Businesses With Under 10 Google Reviews vs 26.9% With 500 to 999: https://www.suffdigital.com/resources/data-studies/ai-review-threshold-local-businesses - AI SEO ChatGPT Names the Highest-Rated Business in Town Only 46.2% of the Time: https://www.suffdigital.com/resources/data-studies/top-rated-business-ai-picks - AI SEO 88.4% of the Local Businesses ChatGPT Recommends Aren't in Google's Map Pack: https://www.suffdigital.com/resources/data-studies/chatgpt-picks-vs-google-map-pack - AI SEO ChatGPT Recommends a Chain for 3.9% of Local Picks vs 6.3% on Google Maps: https://www.suffdigital.com/resources/data-studies/chatgpt-chains-vs-local-shops ## Structured data ```json [ { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://www.suffdigital.com/#organization", "name": "Suff Digital", "alternateName": "Suff Digital Marketing", "url": "https://www.suffdigital.com/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://www.suffdigital.com/#logo", "url": "https://www.suffdigital.com/logo.png", "contentUrl": "https://www.suffdigital.com/logo.png", "caption": "Suff Digital" }, "image": { "@id": "https://www.suffdigital.com/#logo" }, "description": "Suff Digital is a full-stack digital marketing agency that turns websites into predictable revenue engines, SEO, paid media, content, CRO, and web design built around revenue, not vanity metrics.", "slogan": "Digital marketing built for what's next.", "email": "hello@suffdigital.com", "telephone": "+1-629-236-0099", "foundingDate": "2022", "founder": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Matt Suffoletto", "jobTitle": "Founder & CEO" }, "contactPoint": [ { "@type": "ContactPoint", "telephone": "+1-629-236-0099", "email": "hello@suffdigital.com", "contactType": "sales", "areaServed": "US", "availableLanguage": [ "en" ] } ], "address": { "@type": "PostalAddress", "addressLocality": "Nashville", "addressRegion": "TN", "postalCode": "37219", "addressCountry": "US" }, "areaServed": { "@type": "Country", "name": "United States" }, "sameAs": [ "https://www.linkedin.com/company/suff-digital/", "https://www.instagram.com/suffdigital/", "https://www.youtube.com/@suffdigitalmarketing", "https://www.tiktok.com/@suffdigital" ], "knowsAbout": [ "Search Engine Optimization", "Pay-Per-Click Advertising", "Paid Social Advertising", "Conversion Rate Optimization", "Web Design", "Digital PR", "Link Building", "Website Migration", "Website Maintenance and Support", "Technical SEO", "Local SEO", "AI Search Optimization" ], "hasOfferCatalog": { "@type": "OfferCatalog", "name": "Suff Digital Services", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "Offer", "itemOffered": { "@type": "Service", "name": "Search Engine Optimization (SEO)", "url": "https://www.suffdigital.com/" } }, { "@type": "Offer", "itemOffered": { "@type": "Service", "name": "Pay-Per-Click (PPC) Advertising", "url": "https://www.suffdigital.com/services/ppc" } }, { "@type": "Offer", "itemOffered": { "@type": "Service", "name": "Paid Social Advertising", "url": "https://www.suffdigital.com/services/paid-social" } }, { "@type": "Offer", "itemOffered": { "@type": "Service", "name": "Conversion Rate Optimization (CRO)", "url": "https://www.suffdigital.com/services/cro" } }, { "@type": "Offer", "itemOffered": { "@type": "Service", "name": "Web Design", "url": "https://www.suffdigital.com/services/web-design" } }, { "@type": "Offer", "itemOffered": { "@type": "Service", "name": "Digital PR & Link Building", "url": "https://www.suffdigital.com/services/digital-pr" } }, { "@type": "Offer", "itemOffered": { "@type": "Service", "name": "Website Migration", "url": "https://www.suffdigital.com/services/website-migration" } }, { "@type": "Offer", "itemOffered": { "@type": "Service", "name": "Website Maintenance & Support", "url": "https://www.suffdigital.com/services/website-maintenance" } } ] } }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://www.suffdigital.com/#website", "url": "https://www.suffdigital.com/", "name": "Suff Digital", "inLanguage": "en-US", "publisher": { "@id": "https://www.suffdigital.com/#organization" } } ] }, { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Article", "@id": "https://www.suffdigital.com/resources/data-studies/website-ai-local-recommendations#article", "headline": "Local Businesses With a Website Are 3.9x More Likely to Be Recommended by ChatGPT", "description": "ChatGPT recommends 12.3% of local businesses that have a website on their Google Maps listing and 3.2% of those without one, a 3.9x gap. 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On Gemini the gap widens to 10.5x.", "url": "https://www.suffdigital.com/resources/data-studies/website-ai-local-recommendations", "creator": { "@id": "https://www.suffdigital.com/#organization" }, "datePublished": "2026-09-24", "dateModified": "2026-09-24", "license": "https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/", "isAccessibleForFree": true, "measurementTechnique": "ChatGPT and Gemini answers; Google Maps results" }, { "@type": "FAQPage", "@id": "https://www.suffdigital.com/resources/data-studies/website-ai-local-recommendations#faq", "mainEntity": [ { "@type": "Question", "name": "Are businesses with a website recommended by AI more often?", "acceptedAnswer": { "@type": "Answer", "text": "Yes. ChatGPT recommends 12.3% of local businesses with a website and 3.2% of local businesses without one, a 3.9x gap (September 2026)." } }, { "@type": "Question", "name": "Does Gemini recommend businesses without a website?", "acceptedAnswer": { "@type": "Answer", "text": "Rarely. Gemini recommends 0.3% of local businesses without a website, against 3% of those with one, a 10.5x gap." } }, { "@type": "Question", "name": "How many local businesses on Google Maps have no website?", "acceptedAnswer": { "@type": "Answer", "text": "18.7% of local business listings on Google Maps have no website. Auto repair shops have the lowest coverage, with 62.4% of listings linking a website." } }, { "@type": "Question", "name": "In which local services is the website gap widest?", "acceptedAnswer": { "@type": "Answer", "text": "Chiropractors. ChatGPT recommends chiropractors with a website 8.8x as often as those without one, followed by HVAC companies (7.7x) and moving companies (7.4x)." } } ] } ] } ] ```