Local SEO Pulse: September 2026
The September 2026 Local SEO Pulse: 1,450 ranked Google Business Profiles measured across 29 US markets and 5 trades. Median 216 reviews, average completeness 1.4 out of 5, 8% with a services list and 33% with a booking link.
Collected 2026-09-05 · 1,450 listings · 5 trades · 29 US metros
Overall snapshot
Median review count by trade
Median reviews across all ranked positions (1-10). Sorted highest to lowest.
Booking link adoption by trade
Share of ranked listings with an active booking link in GBP. Overall average: 33%
GBP signal adoption
Share of all 1,450 ranked listings with each signal present.
What stands out
HVAC carries the heaviest review load of the 5 trades tracked, at a median of 858 against 76 for Landscaping, a ratio of about 11.3 to 1.
Recent posting activity is the weakest signal this month at 0%, so 100% of profiles already ranking in the top 10 have not done it.
33% of ranked profiles have an active booking link, led by HVAC at 47%. It is a one time setup step in the profile dashboard.
Against the previous collection the average completeness score rose 0.2 to 1.4 and the median review count rose 97 to 216.
Methodology
Data collected 2026-09-05 via automated browser extraction of Google Maps search results. 10 results per query, 5 trades by 29 metros = 1,450 listings. Signals tracked: review count, website link, booking link, post recency, and photo count. Q&A presence was tracked until Google removed the feature in December 2025. No data is estimated or interpolated. Full methodology in the 2026 Benchmark Report.
Full Dataset
See the interactive 2026 Benchmark Report
The full report covers all 1,450 listings with interactive trade and city breakdowns.
View Benchmark Report →