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Research

Field research on the small business web

Independent studies on how small business websites actually perform in production. Open datasets, reproducible methodology, no consultant gloss.

A small business owner stands alone in the dark on a foggy street while competitors' storefronts glow with 'Top Choice' and '#1 Pick' signs, representing a business invisible to AI crawlers.
AI & Search

Invisible to AI

We checked 368 small business sites the way Google renders them and the way non-rendering AI crawlers fetch them. 1 in 4 hide an answer-critical element from AI.

By Joshua R. Gutierrez, Crystal A. Gutierrez

  • 25.0%
    hide an element from AI crawlers
  • 31.8%
    of custom builds affected
  • 2.9%
    Wix, the safest platform
Read the full study
State of Small Business Websites 2026 report cover showing the three headline statistics: 96.9% fail at least one Core Web Vital on mobile, only 3.1% pass all three, and 100% failed the Link Labels accessibility check.
Web Performance

State of Small Business Websites 2026

What 292 audits revealed about mobile performance, accessibility, and the technical foundations of organic reach.

By Joshua R. Gutierrez, Crystal A. Gutierrez

  • 292
    sites audited
  • 96.9%
    fail a Core Web Vital on mobile
  • 100%
    fail Link Labels accessibility
Read the full studyMethodology

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