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All Episodes

The Near Memo — 274 episodes

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Title
1

Tactics for Building a Local Brand in the Age of AI Search — An Agency Panel

2

AI Overviews, Brand Search & Local SEO: Cyrus Shepard on Earning the Click - from the archives

3

Legal Marketing in the AI Era: LSAs, Reviews, and Manufacturing Brand Demand

4

Cyrus Shepard Interview: What "Local Brand" Actually Means to Google and AI

5

The 3-Step Trust Equation: How to Build a Local Brand That Customers (& AI) Trust

6

Ep. 264: Web Authenticity & The Agentic Future of the SMB Website with Raj Singh

7

Beyond the Star Rating: Extracting Strategic Content Insights from Customer Feedback

8

Ep. 262: Regulating the Digital Wild West: Inside the FTC’s Battle Against Review Fraud and AI Deception with Michael Atleson

9

Google Maps' AI Shift: Why Brand Building, Reviews & Social Presence Are the New Local SEO

10

Goodbye Traffic, Hello Sales: The New Playbook for Local SEO Visibility

11

What Does I/O Mean for Marketers with Cindy Krum, Gregg Gifford & Krystal Tang - Part 1

12

From Keyword Rankings to Brand Reverence: The New Local AI SEO Blueprint

13

Google Already Knows Everything About You — And Their New AI Features Make It Worse

14

The Death of Keywords: How Google’s Personal Intelligence is defining the future of Local Search

15

How Google’s Personal Intelligence is Quietly Revolutionizing Your Search Results

16

Google Ask Maps Deep Dive: The Future of Local SEO & AI Search

17

Review Fraud, FTC Fines, and Yelp’s Legal Strike

18

Google Reviews Crackdown, Meta vs Google, and the AI Search Shift (What Marketers Are Missing)

19

Google Lied About Click Data — Here’s What Actually Drives Rankings in 2026

20

AI, Reviews & Intent Pages: What Actually Drives Multi-Location SEO Now (Part 2)

21

Multi-Location SEO: What Actually Works (And What Doesn’t) Part 1

22

State of Google Business Profile 2026: Impressions Are Down 54%—But Actions Aren’t

23

From the Archives: Local Search Ranking Factors — Darren Shaw on Reviews, AI Search & What Drives Local Rank

24

How should agencies build a business around Google Local Service Ads (LSAs)?

25

AI, Strong-Arm Tactics & a Shifting Review Landscape Are Reshaping Local Search

26

AI Visibility vs Google Ranking: Rand Fishkin & the Future of Search, Zero Click & Brand Measurement

27

The Truth About Google Local Service Ads: Rankings, Reviews & Photo Strategy

28

Inside Google Local Services Ads: Ranking Signals, Lead Costs, and Why LSAs Beat the Local Pack (w/ Eric Levine)

29

AI Isn’t Replacing Local Search — But It’s Rewiring How People Choose with Crystal Carter

30

Inside Google Local Rankings and the Review Purge

31

AI Is Breaking Local Search—But Google Still Decides Who Gets Chosen - Interview with Gyi Tsakalakis Part 2

32

Why Local SEO Is Breaking for Law Firms (And What Actually Works Now)

33

Google’s AI Mode Is Rewriting Local Search — What Businesses Must Do for 2026 P#2

34

Google’s Review Algorithms Are Tightening — Here’s What the Data Shows

35

AI Agents Are Coming: Jes Scholz Reveals How to Prepare Your Business NOW

36

AI Mode, Gemini 3 & the Future of Search: Jes Scholz on What SEOs Must Do Now

37

Google Maps Gets AI, Reviews Get Aliases, Ads Invade AI Mode — And Google Uses Its Monopoly to Win the AI War

38

What #1-Ranking Personal Injury Lawyers Are Doing Right — Greg Gifford’s GBP Local Ranking Study

39

AI Search, Reviews, and the Future of Local SEO — Darren Shaw Breaks Down the 2026 Ranking Factors

40

TikTok’s Local Play: How Gen Z Is Rewriting Local Search

41

Google’s Local Antitrust Battle with Yelp, Gemini’s “Grounded” Local AI, and ChatGPT’s New Local Results

42

AI & Local Business: How AI Is Rewriting Location Management; Interview with Ana Martinez, P2

43

Inside Uberall’s Local AI Shift: From Culture Shift to Client Tools; Part 1

44

Google GBP Suspension Increases?, The Future of Reviews, and Liz Reid’s AI Vision for Search

45

Google Review Extortion, Maps AR, What ChatGPT is Missing & YouTube’s Strategic Power

46

Interview with Barry Schwartz: Review Ransom, The State of the Open Web, and the Implications of AI on Search Interfaces

47

Google’s Action Links Crackdown, The “Declining” Open Web, and Siri + Gemini

48

AI Overviews in Local: When & Where, DOJ Google Remedies (?), and an SMB GBP Case Study

49

AI Overviews & Why consumers like them, Reviews vs. Reality & Why Google Search Volumes Aren’t Falling

50

Google’s LSA Shake-Up, Google LSA Dark Patterns & BrightLocal SMB Marketing Insights

51

Part 2- Barnacle SEO in the AI Era: Will Scott on Tools, Automation & Content Strategy

52

Part 1: Barnacle SEO in the AI Era: Will Scott on Leveraging AI for Search & ChatGPT Visibility

53

The Future of Maps: User Focused, Contextual & Integrated AI with Goetz Weber

54

Pew & Ahrefs Reveal Click Declines & AIO Disruption, Local SEO vs. AI: What Happens to the Pack?,

55

Google Fixes GBP Alerts Sort Of, Expands "Ask for Me" Local Quotes, ChatGPT Local Search Disurptor?

56

Google’s AI Overviews, ChatGPT’s Search Shift, and Google's Secret Weapon

57

GBP Suspensions, AIO Overviews & New Best Practices for AI-Era Local SEO and Reviews

58

AI, Reviews & the Future of Local SEO: What Darren Shaw Says You Need to Know

59

How to Stay Verified on Google, Where Search Is Headed, and What’s Up with Siri?

60

Google’s Next Move: AI, Antitrust Battles & the Decline of Search

61

Clicks Are Dead, Reviews Are King: Surviving Google’s AI Local Shakeup

62

SEO Tactics from the Frontline: Real User Behavior in AI Overviews - Part 2 of the UX Study Analysis

63

Trust Before Clicks: What Google’s AIO UX Study Reveals About Real User Behavior

64

Google's Power Grab: AI Journeys, Monetized Moments, & the End of SEO as We Know It with Cindy Krum

65

AmpUp Webinar, Yelp’s Antitrust V Google, Google AIO for Local Reviews, ChatGPT Gets Product Search

66

Know Before You Go: New on GBP Profiles, G Under Legal Fire, & the Coming Shift in Search

67

The Future of Reviews: What Businesses Need to Know

68

From Stars to Skepticism: How Reviews Evolved & Why Trust Is Declining - Sammy Paget Interview Part1

69

Google’s Euro DMA Headaches, GBP Local Chaos AND Uncharacteristic Google Comms & AI Search Futures

70

Surviving the New Google: Suspensions & Appeal Delays, AI Overviews, & the Future of Local Marketing

71

EU Targets Google, Listings Get Suspended, and AI Heats Up: Search is Changing Fast

72

Google GBP Suspensions Update, AI in Local Search, Google Selling Chrome? & Tesla’s Brand Freefall

73

The Rise of GBP Suspensions, Is Google's 5 trillion search number real? New AI Mode IS the Future

74

The Evolution of Local Inventory Solutions with Michael Carini, Last Mile Retail

75

Unlocking Google Business Profile Secrets with Brad Wetherall - ex Director of GBP Support

76

Missing Google Reviews, Ask for me - SMB Timesuck, Gemini Reasoning Model is Future of Local Search

77

Google Maps: New Features, The Importance of Brand and Declining Review Trust

78

Google Review Fraud, FTC & Business concerns: Interview with Curtis Boyd, Transparency Company, P#2

79

Google Review Fraud & Its Economic Impact: Interview with Curtis Boyd, Transparency Company, P#1

80

Navigating Google Reviews - Part 2 of Brad Wetherall, ex-Director of Operations GBP support, Interview

81

How Does Google GBP Support Really Work? Brad Wetherall, ex-Director- Support Operations, Interview

82

2024 Local SEO Highlights: Brand Power & Local; AI's Search Shake-Up; DMA reshaping Search

83

Exploring Google’s DMA Compliance & User Search Behavior with Siinda’s Stephanie Verilhac

84

The Limits and Future of AI Impact on Maps; Search vs AI: Challenges, Trends, and Consumer Insights

85

GBP’s Naming Shift, Fishkin’s Search Query Insights, & AI's Growing Role in Challenging Google

86

GBP Suspension Woes & Support #fails, Siri Sherlocking Search, the Fragmentation of Search

87

Exploring AI Overviews, SearchGPT & Google’s Evolution: Mark Traphagen on AIO Impact & Future of SEO

88

A Google “Pardon”?, Siri’s Search Improvements, Search from Chat GPT is Really Good

89

AI in Local SEO, Siri Finally Gets Local Search, ChatGPT's Growing User Base

90

Conversation with Raj Singh, the founder of Soloist.ai, an AI-powered website builder

91

Apple Expands Business Connect, Which Directories Matter?, SEMrush Acquires Search Engine Land

92

Google Tests AI-Organized Carousels in Local, Facebook Tests New Local Tab, Google Declines in Customer Loyalty

93

Places Sites in US? Allure’s Ongoing Google Review Fraud Scandal, FTC Targets AI Tool Rytr for Fake Review Generation

94

Search Tactics for EU Hotels, Google’s Updated Spam Guideline, When might Yelp v Google Go to Trial?

95

Google tests Review Badge of Shame in UK; Google’s Antitrust Travails; SMB Marketing Disconnects

96

EU Consumer Research in Hotel market, The impact of recent EU fines on Google, Possible remedies to prevent Google self-preferencing

97

The Google Review Fraud Landscape in Maps & LSA and How a Business Should Respond From the Vault (Ep 139)

98

LSA Gets More GBP Features, Google Maps Gets Cleanup, Yelp Sues Google Over Antitrust

99

GBP Phone Hacking Problems Persist, New FTC Fake Reviews Rules, SearchGPT & the Future of Search

100

The Increasing Role of Brand in SEO

101

GBP Bugs & AI-Driven Layoff Concern, Sale of CNET & Google, Antitrust Remedy: Impact on Apple & SEO

102

MindTrip brings AI travel search, Search Shenanigans, Boost Google Local Rankings w/ Engagement?

103

Reframing how search ranking works, Google Doubles Down on Income, Voice Search Redux? w/ Cindy Krum

104

How Local SEOs are using Gen AI & ChatGPT: Tips, tactics & strategies w/ Darren Shaw & Joy Hawkins

105

Seattle surgeon pays $5 mil review fraud fine; Local Search increasingly shows Google GBP results

106

From the vault: What and why of review fraud on Google how to deal with it

107

New Research: SMB web lead generation failures & how to fix

108

Expanding Local Results in SERPS, Cluttered SERP Reduce Organic Traffic, AI Overviews Worsen Search

109

Rand Fishkin Interview #2: Zero Click, Regulating Google & Coping with the New SEO Reality

110

GBP Chat is Dead, Consumers Frustrated with Search too, Local Takeaways from the API Leak

111

Rand Fishkin interview on the importance and learnings from the Google Search Leak

112

New SAB Local Ranking Factor & Interpreting Google AI Tea leaves around Search

113

ChatGPT 4o Makes an Impression, Chaos that was Google I/O is Google, What Does it All Mean for SEOs?

114

Google finally fixing LSA reviews, Why Google fails, DOJ slidedeck details abusive Google practices

115

From the Vault: Do searchers use Local Finder?, How many links does a local website need? Google's BS around content

116

An interview with Dana DiTomaso: To Google GA4 analytics hell & back again

117

Ad Sales Up, Dr. Guilty of Violating Fed. Review Law, Content Only as Good as ChatGPT Will Fail

118

Standardizing Review Processes to Avoid Fear, Google Cries Wolf Around DMA, The Future of SGE

119

How your agency can increase retention and profitability by offering a fractional CMO as a service

120

Google Goes to Brussels & attempts to defend their DMA compliance

121

How on page factors & Google updates, Learnings from a G Quality Rater, What is the future of SEO?

122

Google’s Core Update & FUD, Brightlocal Consumer Review Survey, Do Searchers Use the Local Finder?

123

Consumer Research Highlights Limited Impact of EU Mandated Local SERP Change & On-going EU Challenge

124

Long tail searcher behaviors, Gemini switch appears, Content publishing being upended by search

125

G-SERPs product searches, Google PR around review removals is puffery, Google Maps SGE a hot mess

126

Will AI Improve SMB Websites? GMaps Getting Gemini, Bright Local Brand Survey Takeaways

127

10 years of SERP changes, Hidden Gems update is impacting Local Search, New EU Local Search Results

128

Fired Google Raters replaced w/ AI? SEO Tools are just tools, Hidden Gems & decline of Big Social

129

SGE NOT the Future, GBP End Days? Google Chooses Sizzle over Steak?

130

LSA Scam & Honest Businesses, Google Created a Shitty Internet? Generative AI & its Impact on Google

131

Exposing the Google Local Service Ads Scam in Home Services: A Marketer's Insight

132

Businesses & Google SGE, Google Goes All in On Interstitials, Where is Bard Going?

133

The Google Review Fraud Landscape in Maps & LSA and How a Business Should Respond

134

Will Google's Reactive Behavior to Search Quality & AI Solve Their Problems?

135

Can Gemini Fix Search? The Impact of Google’s Rating Bias, LSA Reviewjacking

136

How Local SEO Agencies are using Generative AI & ChatGPT: Tips, tactics and strategies

137

Google’s newest search features, Whitespark: Reviews by category, Fake review enforcement failures

138

GMaps Immersive directions, Citations & Local Search, The GBP new small business attribute

139

Lessons in Building and Marketing a Consumer Brand

140

GBP Call History returns, Local Trust Report, SGE Where now?

141

Bulk Dashboard Comeback?, GBP listing cleanup, Alternatives to Google search

142

So Clicks are a ranking signal? Google Comments on Review Fraud, Bard enhanced with extensions

143

High Impact Content Marketing in the Age of AI

144

What and why of review fraud on Google how to deal with it

145

Google Anit-trust case unlikely to change anything, GBP deduping form, Searchers go deep in the SERPS

146

Do searchers goto the Local Finder?, How many links does a local website need? Google's BS around creating great content

147

SMBs search to find services, GBP supports bends to European regs, No copyright for AI

148

GBP support using gig workers, SGE while browsing rolls out, AI Generated review summaries roll out

149

Google VS Chat GPT quality, Google proffers bad advice to CNET, Do consumers actually read reviews?

150

New Local ad format, Updated GBP Guideline clarifies policies, Google SGE shows reference links

151

Google loses product search share, Phone #s hijacked on Google, Yelp scolds business for soliciting

152

Apple Maps KPIs, SEOs & Google quality guidelines, Google SGE usage decline

153

GA4 enshittification, Twitter alternatives, New FTC review guidance

154

TikTok IS about local, Google Perspectives perspective, New GBP "by owner" button

155

Overture Map Foundation goes open source to solve 3D mapping for the “rest of us”

156

Google LSA reviews suck, Localized stories and visualizations, The future of search

157

When to ask for reviews, Is SGE a headfake? Is Apple Vision the next platform?

158

Yelp for sale? Google Merchant Center Next, Does Bard offer an alternative to search?

159

GBP Image Not Allowed bug, ChatGPT adds plug-ins & web, Yelp integrates with Google Reserve & Toast

160

Google I/O from the mundane to the future of the local customer journey

161

UnBounce - Using AI to increase conversions - Special Edition

162

Google's local Knowledge Panel the-cms you never knew you had - conversations with Claire Carlille

163

AI reviews on Amazon, Peak GMB listings, Implications of failing news sites

164

CR Permission Slip eases privacy burden, TA Report Hides Declining Reviews, Google Rushes to AI

165

Google’s Online Local Ads, Bard & Local SEO, The Impact of Chat on Future of Local Search

166

Google merging Bard into Assistant, Wix integrates AI for SMB content, Can GM build a better CarOS?

167

Local Search Ranking Factors Survey with Darren Shaw

168

FTC rules to rein in subscription abuse, Google Bard goes local, Bard is generative not searchy

169

New Google GPB Bug, TikTok rolling out search ads, Social mapping tool Gowalla returns

170

Google LSA adds new categories, ChatGPT changing local SAAS, Everyone needs a “how we use AI” FAQ

171

Bing not a G killer, Yelp research masks market share decline, Dealing with review attacks on Google Business Profiles

172

GBP Services impact rank, Local title tag impacts on rank, Google eases review filter

173

Bing transformed by AI, Groceries drive Walmart upscale & Ecommerce invests in PPC & SEO

174

How digital agencies can use AI with Joy Hawkins & Kevin Indig

175

Own your processes, SEOs need AI for automation, AI will increase fake reviews, now what?

176

Mailchimp Campaign Manager, Copyright implications of generative AI, GBP forums provide bug insights

177

Business Connect flawed agency model, Large agencies: Local is a fad, Technical SEO roadblocks

178

Apple Business Connect is important, Stack ranking of employees: effective or sadistic? AI’s next step: productization

179

AG sues surgeon for review fraud, Shopify targets enterprise retail, Bing to integrate ChatGPT

180

Barry Schwartz Talks All Things Google - UI, Algorithms and AI Spam

181

Age cohorts & reviews, Apple’s Business Register, Google’s Visual Elements → Search complexity

182

ChatGPT’s impact on local, How Google’s new review filter works, Google nukes The Beam (boo!)

183

Survey:Buying links works, Why did Alexa fail? Moderation will be at center of Sec 230 debate

184

Google Review Bug Saga, Impact of Local Business Reviews, Google’s Missguided Store Finder

185

GPB Bug Nuking Reviews, Google Review Location Surfaced, AirBnB Branding VS SEM for conversions

186

Just How Prevalent Are Zero-Click Search Results? (featuring Marcus Tober of Semrush)

187

Shopify disappoints on retention, SEMRush Zero Click research & Apple Maps vs Google Maps in Europe

188

Google 3-Pack: New Branded Ads, GBP Neglect, and Container Retail Models (feat. Krystal Taing)

189

Whitespark’s Effort to Reach an Underserved Part of the SMB Market with Its SEO Services

190

Near Media X NearSt: Google’s Insatiable Appetite for Local Inventory Data

191

How Nerdy Nuts Co-Founder Blended Creativity, PR, Influencer Marketing, and Tiktok to Fuel Success

192

Google goes Astroturf, iOS elevates search but fails, Search alternatives are blooming, why?

193

The demise of local audiologists, Content bots for local news, Facebook shutters Neighborhoods

194

Google Quick Read- useful or Gen Z bone? Why are Google Posts rejected? Why Nextdoor needs local seo

195

Shopify Influencer Play, Google’s Human Content Update; Why now? Google’s AI First Approach is wrong

196

Yelp selling its business data, Google’s Review Spam algo nukes many legit reviews, Tik-Tok for brands

197

Google whines about iMessage, Axios acquired by Cox, Facebook B2B segments

198

Shopify invests in email, End of location intelligence, E-commerce not eating retail, it is retail

199

Instagram evolves (?), Google turns off reviews for women’s clinics , Google Commerce SERP Trends

200

Amazon & Google pander to the FTC, American Privacy Act: Opt-In/Out Battle, Instagram goes local

201

Indie Bookstores Rebound, Privacy abuses both public & private, Ages 18-25 shun Google for Tik-Tok

202

EU passes Digital Markets & Digital Services Acts to rein in big tech & prevent fraud & deception

203

Entities not keywords, key to search, Google Offers shows playbook, Data privacy even more important

204

Google Search Quality Declining?, Google Local Test & Self-preferencing, Shifting search behaviors

205

The power of great CX, What % of searches are local? Antitrust laws & how marketing might change

206

Amazon doing Local Ads, Yep it, Apple BNPL & Search developments, Auto created Google Ads showing up

207

Apple search engine, GBP product kerfuffle, Walmart stores to be used for 3rd party local delivery

208

Walmart does drones, GML: AI, automation & images are future, Local inventory ad unit mimics 3-pack

209

Mourning Bill Slawski, Will people use My Ad Center? Baby formula shortage shows CTR impacts rank

210

SMB more successful with content, Google I/O dreams big but puts in stake around Local, Multisearch & Lens + Near Me

211

Earth Day promos damage reputation, CX - more than a #, SMBs need an integrated digital approach

212

Ratings vs Review Text, Can G Ad automation replace agencies?, Will Musk torpedo Twitter ads?

213

Amazon’s Buy with Prime; AI content & the future of the internet, What content drives SMB research?

214

Google: Ad Domination, Self-Updating Maps reflects failure to engage, Mobile SERP are Image Serps

215

Live Inventory Improves 3-Pack Rank, LocalU-Spam, Review & Vicinity Update, GA4 Sucks-what’s next?

216

Antitrust Laws Closer, Google partners with CVS on appts, Consumer review trust down but usage is up

217

Featured Snippets & Ranking, Consumer Expectations: Chat vs SMS, Google Product Images in Local Packs

218

Google goes local w/ product search; FTC: HomeAdvisor cheated SMBs; SMBs dislike direct sales model

219

Google Sued Over GBP Order CTA, Publishers Sue Ad Providers, Yelp’s 2021 Traffic Declines

220

Review reliance up but trust is down; Amazon kills bookstores for Grocery Business, Nextdoor #s

221

Yelp Elite reviews for sale; Core Web Vitals: No impact on Local ranking, Google offering SEO training, What will Google be in 10 years?

222

Will Google’s AI make SEO superfluous? Is Google’s Android Privacy Sandbox Real or Performative? What do Wix’s #’s say about how big the SMB market is?

223

Google spams Congress w/ SMB emails, Amazon hits $31B in Ad sales, Apple Tap to Pay available soon

224

Meta Takes a Dive, Yelp, Google take review high ground & FTC warns review Platforms

225

GMB PWND by spammer, Google moves toward contextual advertising & The FTC updates review guidelines

226

Bill to end surveillance ads, SMB use of SAAS tools low & growing, Niantic’s path to the metaverse

227

Vendasta buys MatchCraft, Business required vax shows path, TLDR bill requires TOS simplification

228

NFTs as a funding model? Can Google compete in product search? Distrust of tech companies is high.

229

Google rolls out new Local Packs; Yelp Survey: text reviews are best; Local Guides dominate Google reviews

230

A deep dive into the Local Search Ranking Factors with Darren Shaw

231

Apple Maps goes from goat to great, Twitter needs new model, Fired Xooglers sue over Don’t be evil

232

Uberall consumer survey: 50% of search is local, Apple Maps pushes business discovery & AR forward

233

Vista rebrand elegance, Opportunities for new search engines, Google expands SMB propaganda campaign

234

Google My Business Rebrand - Is it a chance to fix GMB or an opportunity to nuke part of the stack?

235

Amazon local BOPIS, Impact of images in Google Local search, Google Local driving the most leads

236

FTC: mobile ISPs abuse privacy, Snap blames Apple for shortfall, Performance ads an analytics scam?

237

FTC lays groundwork for review fines; Amazon creates a stealth offline catalog; Google Lens surfacing Local Packs with product shots

238

Squarespace’s “Everything to Sell Anything,” Google vs. Lowe, and Has the Local Pack Outlived Its Usefulness?

239

Google Enhances Lens for Image Based Commerce, Yelp Goes Front of House SAAS for Restaurants, Amazon and Facebook stymied by new consumer attitudes toward privacy

240

Can new retail formats save traditional stores? How many real customers does Wix have? Will we see opt-in privacy options and what does it mean for marketers?

241

Shopify benchmarks SMB CAC; Reviews tell the story of Walmarts inventory woes; Twitter & WhatsApp now offering local business pages

242

B2B sales have changed forever with self serve playing an ever larger role. Why is leading digital wallet Apple Pay uptake still so low? Will Facebook’s SmartGlasses make it out of the gate?

243

MailChimp priced at $10b for Intuit proves value of SMB SAAS, 1-800-Contacts sues Warby Parker over trade name use in Adwords, Will Yahoo have a new life after Verizon sale?

244

Biden encourages all departments to go all in on increasing competition, Will Craiglist decline create opportunity for NextDoor?, Will public notification of facial recognition deter shoppers?

245

Walmart to make deliveries for SMBs, The SMB social media disconnect, Thinking about Apple reviews

246

FTC takes big swing at FB, Survey: What SMBs really need, Can a Local food delivery co-op compete?

247

Google devastates local food delivery, The boom in pet adoption leaves Vets overwhelmed, Amazon sellers paying to delete negative reviews

248

Yelp’s Positive Q2 Reports, When do SMBs Hire Key Roles & How to Create Content When AI Writes Well

249

FB profits on way to metaverse, Apple & SnapChat up their SMB Maps play & Privacy seems less likely

250

Google makes reviewing easy by adding attributes to restaurant reviews, Fake reviews are costly to SMBS but Google seems incapable of squashing them, Square’s new bank is a threat to traditional SMB banking relationships

251

Biden encourages all departments to go all in on increasing competition, Will Craiglist decline create opportunity for NextDoor?, Will public notification of facial recognition deter shoppers?

252

Google Play store antitrust suit futile?, Good Local content makes the difference, Yext

253

FB Bulletin = newsletter + social, Shopify creates Ad Network, Supreme Court Ruling re-opens scraping question

254

FLoC is flailing, Privacy Success of DuckDuckGo, Businesses need employee vaccination policies

255

The local arc from inventory to ordering to monopoly and consolidation

256

Apple killed email? Google’s crazy Local business names; In person conferences are wonderful & weird

257

Fake Review Solutions, Google’s Grand Vision for Search, How a Local Bookstore Fought Amazon & Won

258

Confession of a Local Guide, Google’s push for privacy, SMB Platforms for marketing & ops automation

259

Are Yelp’s problems self-inflicted?; Google I/O AI & Local Shopping; Google going into Retail, really?

260

Shopify makes the case for local ecommerce, Why do consumers desire to buy local but still buy at Amazon?; How did Google win the review wars vs Yelp?

261

Apple Tracking Opt-in Only 4%, Shopify focuses on helping SMB be better, Facebooks Neighborhood, a NextDoor clone, is likely to be like Nextdoor but worse

262

Is Apple being paternalistic to not allow advertisers to provide ATT incentives? Can Yelp make their way with transactions? Amazon, amazing profits, amazing (& ruthless) efficiencies

263

Zagat reviews, but shorter & more visual, rise from the Google ashes; The FTC ability to levy fines as a deterrent is knee capped by SCOTUS; Apple privacy changes AND review capability coming this week.

264

Episode 11: FB Survey: increased SMB e-commerce & struggles, What will consumers do when the economy opens? SubStack creates program to develop local news

265

Episode 10: SWYFT Opens New Avenues for SMBs to compete with Prime, Is the FTC getting serious about review enforcement, So long Yahoo Answers, will anyone get this product category right?

266

Episode 9: Website Builder SquareSpace acquires restaurant backend restaurant system Tock; Google My Business shoots themselves in the Messaging foot; GroundTruth stays true to the SMB and acquires display advertising platform, Addy

267

Episode 8: Google fights with Rand Fishkin over “zero-click” searches. Can a rating only review ever be defamatory? Will Yahoo’s brand rise from the ashes as a Verizon subscription service? Written by Near Media Filed under Conversations

268

Episode 7:The impact of a year of covid ⁃Surveys indicate the vast majority of consumers favor rigorous mask enforcement by businesses ⁃Online commerce is becoming table stakes for small local businesses ⁃The trends in advertising and privacy fa

269

Episode 6: How the advertising duopoly has created alternative income models, Tock, the restaurant friendly delivery model, Deconstructing Google’s recent post about Local Guides and Photo Updates

270

Episode 5: Google’s privacy first stance benefits ...Google, What is the reality of the public’s trust in Google, How Volvo going direct portends radical shifts for car dealers

271

Episode 4: Facebook Hides Behind SMBs, Hey's New Newsletter Product, and Wal-mart Innovates with Video

272

Episode 3: Australia vs. Facebook, Ghost Kitchens, and Microtargeted Ads

273

Episode 2: GMB Messaging, Local Commerce at Google, Privacy

274

Episode 1: Amazon's PR Stunt, Newsletters, and Clubhouse