With AI search tools increasingly connecting nearby customers with local businesses, it's important to understand which platforms can drive the most results when it comes to AI visibility.
With that being said, it probably won't come as a surprise to find out that ChatGPT is one of the most influential AI-driven local search platforms out there.
Whether you're already tracking and optimizing your local visibility in ChatGPT or just getting started with AI search optimization, this guide will break down key ChatGPT stats and why they matter for local businesses and SEO professionals.
6 Key ChatGPT Stats and Why They Matter for Local SEO
1. ChatGPT Runs a Search for 31% of Prompts
According to Search Engine Land, nearly a third of ChatGPT prompts result in the platform actually running a new search. In case this sounds a bit confusing, we'll break it down further.
ChatGPT's AI, like all Large Language Models (LLMs), is trained on existing data from the internet, which it essentially uses to simulate understanding. The AI model is regularly retrained (updated) to ensure it remains relevant and responsive.
However, in some cases (approximately 31% of cases, to be more precise) ChatGPT actually performs a search, meaning it scours the internet looking for information and sources relevant to a user's prompt. You might have noticed the tool says things like "Searching the web" or "Searching for [prompt keywords]" when you prompt it a certain way yourself. This shows you when ChatGPT is actively running a search.
Why It Matters for Local SEO: When ChatGPT runs a live search, it's pulling from the same types of web results that power Google and Bing, including local listings, business websites, and reviews (think of it as a sort of skin or interface for traditional search results). That means your business's online presence and SEO can directly influence what ChatGPT surfaces in its AI-generated answers.
2. ChatGPT's Search Queries Are Usually 5+ Words
At least 75% of the ChatGPT prompts that result in a search are five words or longer, making them about 60% longer than the average Google search query. This reflects the way users search using AI, prompting LLMs with long-tail, conversational keywords that more closely resemble how they speak and ask questions in real life.
Why It Matters for Local SEO: Because most ChatGPT searches use longer, more conversational phrasing, optimizing your content around natural language and long-tail keywords is becoming increasingly important.
Instead of focusing solely on short, high-volume terms, local businesses should target a mix that includes the kinds of phrases people actually say.
This approach not only helps your business rank in traditional search but also increases the chances that AI-driven tools like ChatGPT will recognize and reference your content in conversational search results.
3. Local Intent Drives the Majority of ChatGPT Searches
ChatGPT most frequently runs searches for, you guessed it, local intent prompts, with 59% of searches run for these. In other words, the LLM is most likely to perform a search when users are asking about products, services, or businesses near them, whether they're asking for recommendations, comparisons, or information.
This pattern shows that users aren't just relying on ChatGPT for general knowledge, but rather they're using it to discover nearby businesses and make purchase decisions. ChatGPT frequently sources locally relevant information from business websites, directories, reviews, and map listings, as well as authoritative third-party sites.
Why It Matters for Local SEO: Since most of ChatGPT's live searches are local in nature, optimizing your business's presence on the types of sites the LLM uses as sources is key to appearing in ChatGPT's results. The stronger your local signals are across these sources, the more likely ChatGPT and other LLM-powered search tools are to identify your business as a relevant, trustworthy answer when users search for nearby services.
4. ChatGPT Accounts for Billions of Searches
As of October 2025, ChatGPT boasts more than 800 million weekly active users, doubling its audience since February 2025 when it stood at around 400 million. The platform also processes a staggering 2 billion queries every day, averaging roughly 190 million daily users, or about 2,200 searches every second.
While ChatGPT's reach is global, traffic data shows that the United States leads with 15.1% of visits, followed by India at 9.4%, underscoring its widespread adoption across key markets.
Why It Matters for Local SEO: With usage scaling at this pace, ChatGPT has quickly become one of the most important discovery channels on the internet, rivaling traditional search engines in reach and influence. For local businesses, this means ranking in ChatGPT is no longer optional.
As users increasingly turn to ChatGPT for local recommendations and business information, tracking your brand's presence (or lack thereof) in ChatGPT responses is crucial for obtaining a complete picture of your overall local visibility and optimizing to maximize your Share of AI Voice (SAIV).
5. Travel, Hospitality, and Retail Lead in AI-Driven Purchases
Recent analysis shows that travel and hospitality businesses account for 18% of ChatGPT-driven purchase activity, while retail follows closely at 16%. This reinforces the trend that users are increasingly relying on AI not just for information, but also to discover, compare, and make buying decisions, reflecting a broader shift toward using conversational AI tools to research products, book reservations, and find local services.
Why It Matters for Local SEO: For businesses in these industries, ChatGPT represents a particularly high-value channel for customer acquisition. Optimizing for ChatGPT visibility can directly influence whether AI users see and choose your business. Travel, hospitality, and retail companies that actively track their presence in AI-driven search can gain a competitive advantage by capturing users earlier in their decision-making process.
Summary of Key ChatGPT Statistics and Why They Matter for Local SEO:
| ChatGPT Statistic | Why It Matters for Local SEO |
| ChatGPT runs a search for 31% of prompts | When ChatGPT searches the web, it uses online sources like business websites and local listings. Optimizing your site and local profiles makes it more likely your business appears. |
| 75% of search-triggering prompts are 5+ words | Users ask questions in natural, conversational ways. Targeting long-tail keywords helps your business show up in AI search and traditional SEO. |
| 59% of searches are local intent | Most AI searches are for locally relevant information. Accurate business info, local content, and structured data increase your chances of being recommended. |
| 800 million weekly active users; 2 billion queries daily | ChatGPT reaches a huge audience. Good local SEO helps your business get noticed by more potential customers. |
| Travel and hospitality (18%) and retail (16%) lead in purchases | Companies in these sectors can benefit most from tracking AI visibility and making sure their local information is accurate and easy to find. |
Conclusion
ChatGPT is rapidly shaping how people discover and choose local businesses, from long-tail, conversational queries to AI-driven purchase decisions. For local businesses, understanding these trends and optimizing for AI visibility is now a fundamental part of local SEO.
Maintaining accurate local information, targeting natural language keywords, and monitoring Share of AI Voice in ChatGPT and other AI search tools helps businesses strengthen their reach, capture more customers, and stay ahead in an increasingly AI-driven search ecosystem.
