Last Week in Local: Local Search, SEO & Marketing Update from LocalU

Tip of the Week Whitespark Local Search Ranking Factors 2023 – Get better local search rankings https://whitespark.ca/local-search-ranking-factors/ Chris’s Links "Florida Man Indicted for Far-Reaching Mail Fraud Scheme": https://www.reddit.com/r/webhosting/comments/11xsukh/did_you_ever_get_a_fake_invoice_in_the_mail_for/ "Multiple DC Homes Listed as Fake Weed Dispensaries on Google...

Tip of the Week How to Create Unique and Helpful Service Area Pages for Local Businesses - Elizabeth Rule - Sterling Sky Inc - https://www.sterlingsky.ca/how-to-create-unique-and-helpful-service-area-pages-for-local-businesses/Erin’s Links Google Business Profile Services Displays Incorrect Pricing (Sometimes Free) - Barry Schwartz via Sukh & Carrie @ Sterling Sky - https://www.seroundtable.com/google-business-profile-services-incorrect-pricing-35080.htmlMicrosoft Bing has added Bing Chat...

Tip of the Week Be sure to pay attention to Chris’ segment on updating favicons, site names, etc so your mobile visibility doesnt suffer: Google rolled out new site names, favicon and sponsored label on desktop search - SearchEngineLand - https://searchengineland.com/google-rolled-out-new-site-names-favicon-and-sponsored-label-on-desktop-search-394084 Chris’ Links TikTok enters the search ad market, challenging Google and Microsoft -...

Tip of the Week Mike Blumenthal’s Twitter Thread on a Step-by-Step Guide to Fighting Fake Google Review Attacks https://www.nearmedia.co/how-to-fight-a-fake-google-review-attack/Mike’s Links Step-by-Step Guide to Fighting Fake Google Review Attacks https://www.nearmedia.co/how-to-fight-a-fake-google-review-attack/Mike Blumenthal on Twitter: Summary of Guide to Fighting Fake reviews https://twitter.com/mblumenthal/status/1631390248667062281How WIRED Will Use Generative AI...

Tip of the Week When Can Service-Based Businesses Have Multiple Google My Business Listings? Joy Hawkins - Sterling Sky https://www.sterlingsky.ca/multiple-google-my-business-listings/Mike’s Links Does adding a list of offered amenities to store location pages improve SEO? - SearchPilot https://www.searchpilot.com/resources/case-studies/adding-amenities-to-store-location-pages/How to Identify Authentic Calls or Texts from Google for Your Business H/T Claudia...

Tip of the Week Do Services in Google Business Profiles Impact Ranking? - Joy Hawkins - Sterling Sky https://www.sterlingsky.ca/services-in-google-business-profile-impact-ranking/Mike’s Links Mutiny on the Bountiful? Proposed settlement challenges review hijacking https://www.ftc.gov/business-guidance/blog/2023/02/mutiny-bountiful-proposed-settlement-challenges-review-hijackingWhy Amazon Will Still 'Go Big' on Grocery https://progressivegrocer.com/why-amazon-will-still-go-big-grocery...

Tip of the Week Overlooked and Underrated Tactics for Local SEO Success - BrightLocal https://www.brightlocal.com/learn/overlooked-and-underrated-tactics/ (photos, reviews, traditional SEO factors, category changes, Q&A, etc.Thanks to @JoyanneHawkins @BubblesUp @clairecarlile @ColanNielsen @GregGifford @imcrystalhorton @Plotboilers (amongst others) for sharing!And if you still have a little time - register for this: Aaron Weiche Webinar – February 15, 2023, at 12 ET – The Need for...

Tip of the Week - The Importance of Optimizing for Cost Keywords [Case Study] - https://www.sterlingsky.ca/cost-keywords/ TL;DR: Google LOVES numbers so including them on your site increases your chances of ranking higher.Optimizing for cost keywords increases rankings, increases traffic, and brings in conversions.Your competitors are likely already doing this and reaping the benefits, so you should too!Chris’ Links Happy 15th birthday to Google Maps, the company's second most important...

Tip of the Week - HOW MULTI-LOCATION BRANDS CAN LEVERAGE APPLE BUSINESS CONNECT (FORMERLY APPLE MAPS CONNECT) https://localu.org/apple-business-connect-multi-locations/ Joy’s Links Leaked Yandex Ranking Factors https://twitter.com/alex_buraks/status/1619370810959093760Apple Business Connect for Multi Location Businesses - Krystal Taing https://localu.org/apple-business-connect-multi-locations/Post Insights Being Deprecated - Local Search...

Tip of the Week - What’s the 1 thing we covered that you should read if your time is limited? Are Service Area Pages Duplicate Content? https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=imj9k37grO8 Mike’s Links Amazon's drone delivery unit hit with layoffs just as 10-year-old project finally launches https://www.cnbc.com/2023/01/20/amazon-drone-unit-hit-with-layoffs-as-long-awaited-program-launches.htmlFailings in Apple Business Connect Agency...

Last Week in Local is a look back at the interesting and important articles from the previous week. It covers critical industry trends, interesting local news and tactical insights for anyone interested in Local Search. Tip of the Week - What’s the 1 thing we covered that you should read if your time is limited? Should You Invest in Apple Business Connect? https://www.nearmedia.co/should-a-business-put-energy-into-apple-maps/ Mike’s Links The new Apple Business Center features &...

Last Week in Local is a look back at the interesting and important articles from the previous week. It covers critical industry trends, interesting local news and tactical insights for anyone interested in Local Search. Mike’s Links Amazon begins drone deliveries in California and Texas -https://arstechnica.com/gadgets/2022/12/amazon-begins-drone-deliveries-in-california-and-texas/ Grubhub used every trick in the book to manipulate customers in DC and is paying -...

Mike’s Links Amazon begins drone deliveries in California and TexasGrubhub used every trick in the book to manipulate customers in DC and is payingHer Child’s Naked Dance Killed Her Google Account. New Appeals Path Restored It.AG Ferguson files lawsuit against Seattle-based plastic surgery clinic for bribing, threatening patients to falsely inflate its online ratings | Washington StateUsing YouTube to Pull More Freight for Your Local SEOChatGPT for SEO: 20 Ways to Leverage ChatGPT in your...

Mike’s Links Amazon Fresh Stores Have Gone StaleHackers Used Amazon Ring Cameras to Livestream 'Swatting' AttacksThe Voice Assistant Battle! (2023)Google Search In VideoApple Maps vs Google MapsMarco Giordano - 3 Great SEO tools on TwitterDoes Upvoting a Review on Google Keep It at the Top Longer?Does Click-trhough Rate all order of Google reviewsGoogle's New Local Pack Full Design Now Live? Carrie’s Links Spotted: Google Local (GBP) Links in Google Discover feed - Colan Nielsen via...

Mike’s Links Meta, Microsoft, AWS, and TomTom launch the Overture Maps Foundation to develop interoperable open map dataGoogle doubles up on E with updated search quality raters guidelines (E-E-A-T)Visual Elements Gallery of Google Search | Google Search Central | Documentation | Google DevelopersGoogle Search Status DashboardGoogle releases December 2022 link spam updateDataChazGPT - Using Chat.open.ai to generate schema (on Twitter)13 Age-based Local Business Review Preferences You Can...

Mike’s Links MBlumenthal - Ne Review filter Cliff notes on TwitterGoogle's New Review Algo: What We KnowGoogle’s cost-cutters come for Waze, will lose status as independent companyAlex Topically.io entity mapping tool on TwitterEntity SEO tool for human beingsCyrus SEO - Sheets ML for finding underperforming pages on TwitterLocation pages in Google's crosshairs after October spam updateMBlumenthal Pleper Local SEO Extension on TwitterHighway Five - Using ChatGPT for rep mgt in Local on...

Mike’s Links Move from Content Creation to Content Creativity In 2023 - Local UniversitySurvey Of 755 Link Builders Shows What Works In 2022Cyrus Sheard thread on Link Builder Survey on TwitterFTC, States Sue Google and iHeartMedia for Deceptive Ads Promoting the Pixel 4 SmartphoneThe Influence of Reviews on ConversionMike Blumenthal on new Google Profile Image bug on TwitterSmart Move, Google Carrie’s Links Review & Service Attributes: Do they affect how long a review stays at the top of...

Mike’s Links A Guide: Why Are My Reviews Missing on Google?API endpoint update from GoogleHow to Get Zocdoc off Your Google Business ProfileGoogle Maps Tests New Sidebar NavigationDoes the Length of a Google Review Matter?Carrie’s Links Buy LocalU Event Videos - Local UniversityBrodie Clark on Twitter: "The past year was a big one for development of tools to help us do a better job at SEO. I tested out a ton of new SEO tools. Here's my top 10 (both free & paid) to use in 2023Gary Llyes -...

Mike’s Links Ep 90: Google Review Bug Saga, Impact of Local Business Reviews, Google’s Misguided Store FinderJoy Hawkins on TwitterGoogle Search Console Goes Adds Shopping & Merchant FeaturesStefan Somborac on Twitter- Google Autogenerates Ads from Point InventoryManage Local Inventory Ads through Pointy - Google Business Profile HelpChristina LeVasseur (Brodzky) - Hotel Attributes now show % of positive & Negative sentiment -Google now lets you search for restaurants by dish as Maps adds...

Mike’s Links Google's Suggested GBP Updates Nuke ReviewsAuthor Rick Wartzman on how Walmart stopped being a ‘boogeyman’Amazon Losing Edge - Mike Colorado gig drivers make an average of just $5.49 an hour, study findsAhrefs 10 free keyword tools on TwitterDoes Review Recency Matter for Google Rankings Carrie’s Links https://localu.org/nov2Q&A for GBP now included in NMXRoundup of GBP NMX changesRecession is coming - Layoffs at Disney and Wells Fargo Support the show