Google and your profile
Google Business Profile accounts for about 28% of citations in BrightLocal’s August 2026 study of Google AI Overviews, AI Mode, and ChatGPT in the US, UK, and Australia. Read the study.
DYGILAB · LOCAL VISIBILITY
“Who would you recommend?”
Your customers are asking AI, too.
A restaurant for tonight, a local contractor, a dive center for a vacation: customers also ask Gemini or ChatGPT for advice. These tools draw on information online. Your Google profile plays a role in experiences that use Google and Maps data.
CHANGING HABITS
From a search query to a conversation.
“A quiet restaurant for a family dinner?” “A nearby auto shop open on Saturday?” People can combine a service, a location, and specific requirements.
45%
of US adults surveyed reported using AI for local recommendations in 2026, compared with 6% in 2025.
BrightLocal, panel of 1,002 US adults.
A CONCRETE EXAMPLE
A customer asks Gemini.
Gemini connects to Google Maps.
In this example, a search triggers a direct connection from Gemini to Google Maps. The search starts in an AI assistant, but draws on local information here.
Search happens through a conversation: your business information needs to be ready to answer.
YOUR PROFILE’S ROLE
AI answers draw on information that already exists.
Gemini and Google Maps
Google confirms that Gemini uses public Maps information to find places and provide details such as hours, addresses, and ratings. Available features depend on the usage context. Google documentation ↗.
ChatGPT and other sources
In this study, ChatGPT relied more on other platforms, including Yelp. Your website and relevant industry sources therefore complement your Google profile. See sources by platform.
What this means for your business
If your hours are wrong or your services are unclear, so is the information available about your business. Accurate, consistent details give customers and the tools they use a better starting point.
IN PRACTICE
Specific questions need specific information.
Illustrative example: someone wants a restaurant open on Sunday, with outdoor seating and vegetarian options. These are useful facts to make accessible, without assuming what an assistant will recommend.
Hours
Accurate regular and special hours help people understand when they can visit.
Services and features
Describe what you actually offer: cuisine, services, facilities, or visitor arrangements, depending on your business.
Consistent details
Your name, address, and contact information should identify the same business on your profile and website.
A current presentation
Your content and supplied photos should reflect the business today, helping customers check whether it suits them.
DYGILAB
Stronger foundations as search evolves.
Dygilab works on your Google profile: business information, service descriptions, supplied photos, posts, and monthly reporting. This creates a practical foundation for your local presence, including when AI tools draw on that information.
Explore Google profile management ↗
Website work or a broader AI strategy requires a separate scope. An optimized profile does not guarantee a recommendation: each platform selects its own sources and answers.
DYGILAB
Search is changing.
Your presence should keep up.
Start with the information that describes your business: what you offer, where you operate, and how customers can reach you. We can help you choose the next step.
Let’s talk about your visibility ↗Have another question? Browse all answers by topic.
Explore the full FAQ ↗