This chart shows where customers decide before contacting a business. 
Decisions happen across multiple channels. Search and word of mouth dominate influence. Reviews play a significant role. Websites are less influential than expected.

Essential Statistics

• 24 percent of decisions come from Google Search and Maps.
• 23 percent come from word of mouth.
• 16 percent are influenced by review sites.
• 14 percent come from social platforms.
• 13 percent are driven by paid ads.
• Only 10 percent are influenced by websites.
• Most decisions happen before a website visit.

Key Takeaways

• Customers often decide before visiting your site.
• Search visibility is critical for local businesses.
• Word of mouth remains highly influential.
• Reviews significantly impact decisions.
• Websites play a smaller role than expected.
• Multi-channel presence is essential.

Actionable Insights

• Optimize for Google Search and Maps. Visibility in search results is critical for influencing decisions early.
• Encourage word of mouth referrals. Customer advocacy remains a powerful driver.
• Invest in review management. Reviews influence a large share of decisions.
• Build a strong social presence. Social platforms contribute meaningful influence.
• Use paid ads strategically. Ads support visibility but are not the primary driver.
• Focus beyond your website. Influence decisions before users ever visit your site.

Your website is not where most decisions happen. If you are not visible before the click, you are already losing. – Neil Patel