How do UK customers find and choose local businesses in 2026?

UK customers find local businesses through Google first, check them on Google Maps and in reviews, and a fast-growing share now ask AI tools as well. Google held 91.39% of UK search engine market share in September 2026, according to StatCounter, and Ofcom found that 54% of UK adults now use AI tools such as ChatGPT, Copilot or Gemini. To get chosen, you need to show up in each of those places with the same clear, trustworthy information, and your website has to close the deal.

Where do UK customers start when they look for a local business?

They start with a search engine. Ofcom's Adults' Media Use and Attitudes report from 2026 says "Almost all online adults (96%) report using them in the past year." That survey ran from September to November 2025 with 7,533 UK adults aged 16 and over.

And in the UK, search means Google. StatCounter's UK figures for September 2026 put Google at 91.39% of search engine market share across all devices, with Bing on 6.08%, Yahoo on 1.32% and DuckDuckGo on 0.65%. That's more than nine in every ten, by StatCounter's measure, going to one company. Ofcom's Online Nation report from 2025 adds the scale: Google Search was used by 82% of UK online adults in May 2025.

So if you only have time to get one channel right, it's Google. But Bing's 6.08% isn't nothing either, so claim your Bing Places listing alongside your Google Business Profile.

How important is Google Maps in that journey?

It's the next stop, and its reach keeps growing. Ofcom's Online Nation report from 2025 found Google Maps reached 78% of UK online adults in 2025, up from 73% in 2024 and 69% in 2023. Average time spent per person rose to 153 minutes in May 2025, from 139 minutes in 2024.

The same report shows that Google Maps isn't only an Android habit. It was used by 72% of iPhone users in May 2025, compared with 28% of iPhone users for Apple Maps. If you've only checked how you look in Apple Maps because you own an iPhone, you're looking at the smaller audience.

Google's own Business Profile help pages say its local results weigh relevance, distance and prominence, and that prominence takes in how many websites link to your business and how many reviews you have. Distance you can't change. Relevance and prominence you can.

Do people trust what they find in search results?

Less than they used to. Ofcom's 2026 report found that only 17% said they believe that if a website appears in search results it will contain accurate and unbiased information, down from 27% the year before. Just over half of search engine users (52%) correctly identified which results were paid placements.

Here's what that means for you. Ranking gets you seen, but it doesn't get you picked. People click, look, and judge. Ofcom also found 11% now click on the results they "like the look of", up from 6% in 2024. And when it comes to paying, 62% say they only buy from companies they recognise, while 55% check that the site looks secure.

Put those together and your website is doing the real selling. A slow, dated or vague site loses the customer you paid or worked hard to attract.

How much do online reviews decide who gets the call?

A lot of money rides on them. The Competition and Markets Authority said in January 2025 that "as much as £23 billion of UK consumer spending is potentially influenced by online reviews annually". In the same announcement, the CMA set out commitments from Google to tackle fake reviews, including warning alerts on the Google profiles of UK businesses found boosting their star ratings with fake reviews and switching off their ability to receive new ones.

Fake reviews are a real problem. Research published by the Department for Business and Trade in April 2023 estimated that 11% to 15% of all reviews for 3 common product categories on UK e-commerce platforms were fake. The Digital Markets, Competition and Consumers Act 2024 gave the CMA stronger consumer powers, including fines of up to 10% of global turnover.

For a local business, reviews do two jobs at once. Google's help pages say "More reviews and positive ratings can help your business's local ranking", so they help you appear. Then they help the customer decide between you and the business two streets away.

Where do social media and AI assistants fit in?

Social media is the other place customers can check you out. Ofcom's 2026 report says "nine in ten internet users (89%)" use at least one social media platform, and Facebook is the only platform it asks about that's more popular with social media users aged 75 and over (81%) than with 16 to 24-year-olds (55%). Younger customers live on different apps: TikTok is used by 83% of 16 to 24-year-olds who use social media.

AI is the fastest-moving part of the journey. Ofcom found 54% of adults say they use AI tools, up from 31% the year before, rising to 79% of 16 to 24-year-olds and 74% of 25 to 34-year-olds. Among people who use AI, 45% use it to find factual information. Ofcom's Online Nation report from 2025 shows ChatGPT had 1.8 billion UK visits in the first eight months of 2025, up from 368 million in the same period of 2024. That's more than four times as many.

You don't need to open a chatbot to read AI answers. Ofcom's 2026 report found 75% of online adults read AI summaries in search results at least some of the time, and 42% read them "often" or "always". If the information about your business online is thin or inconsistent, those answers have little good to say about you.

What does this mean for your business?

The customer journey now has more stops, but each one asks the same question: are you the right, trustworthy choice near me? Here's where we'd put your effort.

• Google Business Profile first. Choose the right primary category, list every service, keep your hours current and add real photos. Claim Bing Places too.
• Reviews every week. Ask every happy customer, reply to every review, and never buy or swap reviews.
• A website that converts on a phone. Your services, the areas you cover, prices or starting prices, proof such as reviews and examples, and a tap-to-call number on every page. Our web design work starts at £1,500 + VAT for a brochure site, and sites go live in 5 days on average.
• Consistent facts everywhere. The same name, address, phone number and service descriptions on your site, Google, Bing, Facebook and directories, so search engines and AI tools describe you correctly. That's the core of SEO and GEO.

If you need calls quickly while your organic visibility builds, search ads let you bid for the top spots on high-intent searches like "emergency plumber near me". Our Google Ads management starts from £600 a month + VAT, with a free audit first.

Frequently asked questions

Which search engine do UK customers use most?

Google. StatCounter's figures for September 2026 put Google at 91.39% of UK search engine market share, with Bing second on 6.08%.

Are AI assistants replacing Google for local searches?

No. Search engines are still used by 96% of online adults, according to Ofcom's 2026 report, but 54% of adults now also use AI tools, so you need to be visible in both.

Do people still use Apple Maps?

Yes, but far fewer. Ofcom's Online Nation report from 2025 found 28% of iPhone users used Apple Maps in May 2025, compared with 72% who used Google Maps.

Is it worth being on Bing?

Yes. Bing held 6.08% of UK search engine market share in September 2026, according to StatCounter, and a Bing Places listing puts you in front of those searchers.

If you'd like to know where customers are finding you now and where they're slipping past, call us on +44 1382 699595 or see how our SEO service works.