2023 Digital Marketing & Customer Journey Report
Our 2023 Digital Marketing & Customer Journey Report maps how consumers search, navigate and review local businesses across the customer journey.
Download the full report (PDF) ↓Key takeaways
The 2023 Customer Journey Report found Google preferred by 92.2% of consumers and Google Maps by 80.7% — with Apple Maps more than tripling its share to 19.3%. Reviews carried real weight: 92.8% read them and 88.5% trust them as much as a personal recommendation. Most consumers (62.9%) preferred to book online, and 73.8% favoured interacting with a brand on a local level.
The 2023 findings underline two priorities for multi-location brands: keeping business listings accurate across search and maps, and actively managing online reviews at the local level.
Search behaviour
- 92.2% preferred Google as their primary search method
- 59.5% search for restaurants & bars — the most-searched category
- 71.6% search for local businesses weekly (27.5% daily)
Navigation & listings
- 80.7% use Google Maps as their primary navigation tool
- 63.1% have made suggestions to change business listing information
- 81.59% often find incorrect information on business listings
- 50.7% trust Google for the most up-to-date business information
Reviews
- 92.8% read online reviews
- 90.6% read a business's responses to customer reviews
- 64.4% prefer to read reviews on Facebook (Google Business 50.6%)
- 78.7% say positive reviews influence their choice of business
- 88.5% trust reviews as much as a personal recommendation
- 55.4% are more likely to choose a business with 4 stars or higher
Bookings & service
- 62.9% prefer making a booking online over telephone or email
- 80.8% expect a business to respond to a negative review (65.2% within 24h)
- 55.11% prefer to receive feedback on a complaint via email
- 73.8% prefer interacting with a brand on a local level
Platforms & chatbots
- 37% turn to Facebook to find the latest content or promotions
- 54.2% would use a chatbot if it gave helpful, immediate feedback
Frequently asked questions
- Which navigation tool did consumers prefer in 2023?
- Google Maps, used by 80.7% as their primary navigation tool.
- Did consumers trust online reviews in 2023?
- Yes — 88.5% trust reviews as much as a personal recommendation.
- How recent do consumers want reviews to be?
- 56.3% prefer reading reviews no older than one month.
Want the full breakdown?
Download the complete 2023 report, or see how your own locations show up across local search, maps and reviews.