{
  "schema_version": "1.1",
  "id": "brightlocal-trust-in-reviews-49-percent-2026",
  "slug": "brightlocal-trust-in-reviews-49-percent-2026",
  "url": "https://groundedkit.com/claims/brightlocal-trust-in-reviews-49-percent-2026/",
  "api_url": "https://groundedkit.com/api/claims/brightlocal-trust-in-reviews-49-percent-2026.json",
  "claim": "Only 49% of consumers trust online reviews (BrightLocal, 2026)",
  "commonly_cited_as": "\"Consumers trust reviews as much as friends\"",
  "verdict": "verified",
  "verdict_definition": "Primary source found; it says the same thing, the scope matches, and it is reasonably current.",
  "confidence": "medium",
  "rating": {
    "value": 5,
    "best": 5,
    "worst": 1
  },
  "origin": {
    "publisher": "BrightLocal",
    "title": "Local Consumer Review Survey 2026",
    "year": "2026"
  },
  "quote": "While trust in reviews has fluctuated over time, it still sits at a significant 49% today.",
  "method": "BrightLocal's annual online survey of US consumers about local business reviews.",
  "drift": [
    "Different question from the 2010s '88% trust reviews as much as personal recommendations' figure",
    "97% still read reviews"
  ],
  "interest": "BrightLocal sells local SEO and review-management software.",
  "safe_rephrasing": "BrightLocal's 2026 survey put consumer trust in online reviews at 49%, even though 97% read them.",
  "sources": [
    {
      "title": "BrightLocal — Local Consumer Review Survey 2026",
      "url": "https://www.brightlocal.com/research/local-consumer-review-survey/",
      "primary": true
    }
  ],
  "kind": "reference_fact",
  "as_of": "BrightLocal survey, 2026",
  "last_checked": "2026-10-17",
  "stale": false,
  "date_reviewed": "2026-10-17",
  "license": "CC BY 4.0",
  "license_url": "https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/"
}