Research archive

Reports

Aggregate analysis of Google Business Profile performance across verticals and regions. Each report includes sample size, methodology, and downloadable dataset.

Research published so far: 7 reports covering 9 local business verticals across 6 US states. Cross-vertical analyses sit alongside vertical-specific deep dives. New research publishes monthly.

Active on Social, Invisible on Google. The Wrong-Channel Paradox in Local Business Marketing.
Cross-verticalUnited StatesINQ-IR-2026-007

Active on Social, Invisible on Google. The Wrong-Channel Paradox in Local Business Marketing.

463 US local businesses in our sample link active social media to a Google Business Profile that is not confirmed claimed. 1 in 10 socially-active profiles is invisible on the channel that actually converts. A data report on the backwards budget of local business marketing.

Apr 14, 2026n = 13,859
The Contact Funnel Collapse. Only 17% of US Local Business Profiles Offer All 5 Contact Paths.
Cross-verticalUnited StatesINQ-IR-2026-006

The Contact Funnel Collapse. Only 17% of US Local Business Profiles Offer All 5 Contact Paths.

94% of US local business Google profiles have a phone number. Only 22% have an email address. Only 17% offer all 5 contact paths we checked. The typical profile gives a visitor half the ways to reach the business.

Apr 11, 2026n = 13,859
The Social Media Paradox. Visual Businesses Link Fewer Social Channels Than Non-Visual Ones.
Cross-verticalUnited StatesINQ-IR-2026-005

The Social Media Paradox. Visual Businesses Link Fewer Social Channels Than Non-Visual Ones.

Only 22.5% of US hair salons link any social media to their Google Business Profile. Veterinary clinics, not famous for visual content, hit 43.3%. A data report on social media cross-linking across 13,859 US local business profiles.

Apr 8, 2026n = 13,859
The 4.74 Ceiling. Why Almost Every US Local Business on Google Rates Above 4.5.
Cross-verticalUnited StatesINQ-IR-2026-004

The 4.74 Ceiling. Why Almost Every US Local Business on Google Rates Above 4.5.

60% of US local business Google profiles in our 13,859-profile sample rate 4.9 or 5.0. The average is 4.74. Only 5% rate below 4.0. The distribution is extremely right-skewed. What that means for how owners should read their own rating.

Apr 2, 2026n = 13,859
The Keyword-in-Name Myth. Fewer Than 1% of US Profiles Actually Do It.
Cross-verticalUnited StatesINQ-IR-2026-003

The Keyword-in-Name Myth. Fewer Than 1% of US Profiles Actually Do It.

Every local SEO tool warns about keyword stuffing in Google Business Profile names. We analyzed 13,859 US profiles. Fewer than 0.5% use superlatives. 0.01% say near me. The real pattern is city names and service words, which behave differently.

Mar 26, 2026n = 13,859
US Med Spa Google Business Profile Benchmarks, 2026
Med SpaUnited StatesINQ-IR-2026-002

US Med Spa Google Business Profile Benchmarks, 2026

Across 1,448 US med spa Google profiles, 29% are unclaimed or unverified, the median profile has 39 reviews, and 60% rate 4.9 or 5.0. A deep dive on one of the highest-revenue Tier Special verticals.

Mar 19, 2026n = 1,448
We Analyzed 13,859 US Local Business Google Profiles. Here is What We Found.
Cross-verticalUnited StatesINQ-IR-2026-001

We Analyzed 13,859 US Local Business Google Profiles. Here is What We Found.

27% of local business Google profiles in our sample are unclaimed or have unverified claim status. Half show fewer than 10 photos. One in four has no website. A data report across nine verticals and six US states.

Mar 12, 2026n = 13,859