BrightLocal Google Reviews Study — 93K businesses; avg 39 reviews / 4.42 stars (vendor)
Summary
Claim: BrightLocal Google Reviews Study (93,000 businesses, 26 industries): overall average 39 reviews; top-3 local businesses average 47; average star rating 4.42.
Most reviews: hotels/B&Bs, restaurants, bars, local stores, car dealerships.
Fewest reviews: accountants/finance (least likely to even have reviews), landscaping, senior living, marketing/PR, construction/roofing.
Rating norms (Industry-consensus, vendor-sourced):
- Home services and salons highest (~4.5-4.6)
- Beauty/hair ~4.5
- Fitness ~4.4
- Legal ~4.3
- Healthcare/dental ~4.1
- Restaurants ~4.1
- Hotels ~4.0
- Car dealerships and senior living lowest
High-volume / high-variability businesses (restaurants, hotels) carry many reviews but lower stars; relationship businesses (trades, dental, salons) carry fewer-to-moderate reviews but higher stars.
Note: ~20% of top-3-ranked local businesses had NO reviews — confirms other factors matter (proximity, category).
Source: BrightLocal (local-SEO/review SaaS vendor).
Caveat: Vendor. Quarantined.
Confidence: Industry-consensus (the standard reference).