I build websites in Brighton, and I wanted to know how many local businesses can’t be found online. So I counted. Using Google’s own business listings, I checked 1,669 businesses in five communities. Of those, 479 (29 per cent) have no website listed.
Town by town
| Community | No website listed | Businesses checked | Share |
|---|---|---|---|
| Brighton | 40 | 116 | 34% |
| Quinte West | 128 | 385 | 33% |
| Belleville | 196 | 708 | 28% |
| Port Hope | 49 | 187 | 26% |
| Cobourg | 66 | 273 | 24% |
| All five | 479 | 1,669 | 29% |
Source: Google business listings, searched by category in each community, September 2026.
For comparison, Kingston came in at 168 of 881 (19 per cent).
What “no website listed” means
It means the business’s Google profile doesn’t link to one. Some of these businesses may have a site they never connected, and some run happily on a Facebook page. But a business that shows up as a name, a phone number and a few reviews gives a searching customer less to go on than one with a page of its own.
How I counted
I searched Google’s listings by business category in each community in September 2026. Businesses without a public street address, which includes many tradespeople, don’t appear in the results. Three searches hit Google’s 60 result cap, and the large chains that showed up all had websites. On balance those quirks more likely understate the number than overstate it.
If your business is on the list
Start by opening your Google profile and checking whether a website is linked. It takes two minutes and it’s free. If you have a site and it isn’t connected, add the link and you’re done.
If you don’t have a site yet and you’re wondering what one would cost, my website cost calculator gives you a real number in a minute, and I wrote a plain breakdown of what a website costs in Ontario.
Disclosure. I build websites for small businesses through Papa AI. Reporters and local organizations can have the full town and category breakdown on request: email papa@papaai.ca.