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9 in 10 customers more likely to overlook a negative review if the business responds adequately, Yelp says
Half of survey respondents said they don’t trust reviews if they know the business asked customers to leave them.
Bing now lets you search local stores
Microsoft said this new feature will help searchers check store stock availability and choose to buy online and pick up in-store.
Seismic event or overblown rebrand: Local search experts weigh in on ‘death’ of Google My Business
Google’s recent rebranding and new profile management options may be a sign that it’s improving features for multi-location brands, while driving adoption with SMBs via profile controls in Search and Maps.
Google Search lets you see if a doctor or healthcare facility takes your insurance
Make sure to update your healthcare client's Google Business Profile and website to ensure Google is showing accurate details.
Google says it values all local reviews, both positive and negative
Google has updated their help documents to say it finds a mix of reviews more trustworthy.
How marketers can adapt to Google’s local SEO changes
SEOs should prepare for the coming changes in local reviews, knowledge panels and mobile displays.
Yelp’s new ad types aim to connect national advertisers to local users
Sponsored Collections may appeal to brands that typically don’t advertise on Yelp and Seasonal Spotlight Ads might help multi-location brands create another touchpoint to showcase their seasonal promotions.
Google Maps will show price ranges for US restaurants
The company also announced an expansion of indoor directories, Pickup with Google Maps and Area Busyness trends.
Yelp’s new home feed looks like a certain popular social media app
The new feed shows users Popular Dishes and Yelp Connect posts based on physical proximity to the business, the popularity of a dish in reviews and the recency of the content.
Google’s local rebrand prompts SMB support amid antitrust lawsuits, says local SEO expert
If you work with SMBs and they received the notification, there's a chance they may be worried about how laws and resulting changes will affect their businesses.
Google My Business now known as Google Business Profile as Google migrates features to Maps and Search
Google is also rolling out more support for managing your business profile directly in Google Search and Maps.
Consumer interest in nightlife, entertainment, fitness businesses surge; Thursday’s daily brief
And holiday sales will break a new record as Cyber Week growth slows down.
Business reopenings have flattened while new leisure and hospitality openings drove growth, according to Yelp
A surge in consumer interest for nightlife, fitness and entertainment may indicate less hesitancy among consumers to engage in activities where it’s difficult or impossible to socially distance.
Yelp announces new features for services businesses, including custom search filters, a new review flow and themed ads
The new features may help Yelp differentiate itself from other reviews platforms, at least for users looking for services businesses.
Yelp adds virtual restaurant attribute to help reduce customer confusion
The Virtual Kitchens attribute can help takeout or delivery-only restaurants identify themselves to potential customers.
Incorrect business listings deter 63% of consumers; Thursday’s daily brief
Plus, the Google News app will show non-AMP content and Microsoft Advertising announces optimization score in the Recommendations tab.
How Google and Yelp handle fake reviews and policy violations
A side-by-side analysis of Google and Yelp's respective approaches, policies and punitive measures.
Yelp introduces “Proof of vaccination required” and “Staff fully vaccinated” profile attributes
Users will be able to filter searches using these attributes and Yelp is monitoring reviews for businesses that add them.
Google’s local ads tips for the back-to-school shopping season
More than 50% of North American back-to-school shoppers say they’ll check for in-store inventory online before heading to a store, according to Google.
These 4 local SEO tips will help you improve your Google ranking
In this webinar, learn how to rank higher with ratings and reviews that build trust in your brand.
Users can now leave more detailed restaurant reviews on Google
Details like price range and meal type are useful for potential customers, but will Google use it to enable search filters?
Yelp Audiences allows advertisers to reach Yelp users off the platform
Targeting is based on the user’s purchase intent on Yelp and ads do not have to lead back to Yelp’s platform.
Google My Business performance report adding driving direction requests and website visits
This is slowly rolling out, you might not see it show up yet in your Google My Business account.
Diners are returning to restaurants in record numbers, according to Yelp
Last month, the platform seated an all-time high of over 3.7 million diners, but the labor shortage is pushing wages higher and preventing some businesses from fully reopening.
Google My Business phases out short names
If your business currently uses short names, the links and campaigns you have associated with them won't be affected.
Google removes short names from business profiles, adds new label to local listings and tests new local card
Google is always busy with new features, changes and updates to its local search product.
Google launches new ad formats for local campaigns and pickup later option for local inventory ads
Google announced a number of local ad features at its annual Google Marketing Livestream event.
Yelp adds the LGBTQ-owned attribute and rainbow-colored map pins for Pride Month
In April, searches for LGBTQ+-owned businesses on Yelp were up by more than 150% YoY.
How Storage Asset Management succeeds with a focus on reviews and social media
SAM relies heavily on customer reviews, managed through Reputation
Google call history report begins to show data in Google My Business
Several months after showing a "preview call history" feature, Google is now showing some data in this report.
Yelp announces Custom Location Targeting, budget recommendations and more features to expand reach for local businesses
Local business owners are no longer limited to advertising around their physical location.
The real-world impact of keyword stuffing in Google My Business
Many businesses are rebranding completely to skirt Google's guidelines. But when everyone does it, it becomes a branding nightmare.
Google local car dealership inventory search results
Google seems to be getting into the local car inventory space with a new search service.
One-star ratings on Google are deemed not defamatory and why that’s a problem
It's crucial to have a solid review management strategy in place and for local SEOs to manage SMB expectations around review removal.
Yelp introduces a searchable Asian-owned business profile attribute
In February, Yelp searches for Asian-owned businesses were up 130% YoY.
Pickup and delivery attributes, indoor Live View and more AI-powered features are coming to Google Maps and GMB
Google is packing more features, many commerce-related, into Maps, helping the company maintain its position as the intermediary between our online and offline activities.
Google My Business releases tool to manage your reviews
Previously, there was no real way to see the status of reviews you submitted for a takedown in an organized fashion
Google tests displaying cost estimates in local search results
Google has confirmed the company is showing cost estimates from Homewyse for some local queries.
Google Hotel search showing free listings in results
Google opens the door to more hotels by offering free hotel listings, separate from paid results.
Google My Business report shows how people found your business
You can now see device and platform breakdown in your Google My Business performance reports.