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

Elizabeth’s Links:

• Ahrefs creates yep.com 
• Twitter removes nofollow attribute from links in tweets - Chris Silver Smith at Search Engine Land
• Google May 2022 core update is finished rolling out - Search Engine Land
• Discussing the early effects of the Google May core update - Marie Haynes
• Protect the Hours of Operation on Your GBP from Unwanted Google Edits - Moz - Miriam Ellis
• How AI and imagery build a self-updating map - Google Product Blog
• 37% of Google Maps results for abortion services in trigger states directed people to fake clinics, nonprofit says - Business Insider
• Check air quality indexed right on Google maps (iPhone and android) - Google Product Blog
• 
  
• John Oliver Last Week Tonight (HBO) - Via iPullRank on Twitter
• Video Page Indexing Report Beta In Google Search Console - SERoundtable.com
• Google Ads To Address Concerns Over Third-Party Sales Solicitations & Poor Advice - SERoundtable.com

Carrie’s Links

• Dallas taco shop owners to launch ghost kitchen inside Walmart in Plano 
• Missing Reviews/ Reviews Disappearing | Local Search Forum - Joy Hawkins
• Sterling Sky Acquires Classy Brain - SterlingSky Blog
• LocalU Advanced Denver - July 28, 2022

h/t

@brightlocal   

@si1very

@rustybrick 

@joyannehawkins 

@ipullrank  

@sengineland

@miriam_ellis_  

@seroundtable 

Mike’s Links:

• Walmart is using its thousands of stores to battle Amazon for e-commerce market share — CNBC - https://apple.news/AwYmylcLTSS-skfS2QStzAw
• How One Billionaire With a 300-Year Plan Fueled the Popping Tech Bubble - https://www.vice.com/en/article/4awkjw/how-one-billionaire-with-a-300-year-plan-fueled-the-popping-tech-bubble
• Google Messages disables RCS ads in India as it attempts to stop abuse - https://9to5google.com/2022/06/01/google-rcs-ads-india-pause/
• Find Google Duplicates & Analyze ALL Your Google Business Profiles - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VvmnfHIFGf0
• Snapchat displays restaurant recommendations in the Snap Map - https://techcrunch.com/2022/06/03/snapchat-restaurant-recommendations-snap-map/
• Add rates and availability to your Google Business Profile - Hotel Center Help - https://support.google.com/hotelprices/answer/10684696?hl=en
• Connect your Google Business Profile via WooCommerce - https://onlineownership.com/connect-your-google-business-profile-via-woocommerce/
• Google Image Thumbnails for Organic Results: What They Are, How They Work & Will SEO Help? - https://brodieclark.com/google-image-thumbnails/

Carrie’s Links

• Why EAT Inspires Local Content Creation - BrightLocal - https://www.brightlocal.com/learn/why-e-a-t-inspires-local-content-creation/
• Google Business Profiles Bug Temporarily Drops Product Management Features For Merchant Center - https://www.seroundtable.com/google-business-profiles-products-merchant-center-33513.html
• 3 Things to Know About Google's Ad Image Extensions - Sterling Sky Inc - https://www.sterlingsky.ca/google-ad-image-extension/
• LocalU Tickets - https://localu.org/denver2022/
• GBP Reviews Missing, Why and What Can You Do About It? - Local University - https://localu.org/gbp-reviews-missing/

Mike’s Links:

• Walmart does drones deliveries ahead of Amazon while gig deliveries are failing - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z0tgtI-SMFI
  • Walmart to begin drone delivery service to 4 million households - https://www.theguardian.com/cities/2022/may/24/walmart-drone-delivery-4-million-us-households
• Glenn Gabe on Twitter - Apple Search Engine On the Horizon? - https://twitter.com/glenngabe/status/1531256299014524935?s=12&t=hCLeY_4gWqgsK8bPQ_75gw
• Does ‘Multisearch Near Me’ Signal a Visual Search Future?  - https://streetfightmag.com/2022/05/26/does-multisearch-near-me-signal-a-visual-search-future/
• Joy Hawkins on Twitter - Justifications on Google Maps Mobile - https://twitter.com/JoyanneHawkins/status/1529174985595559936
• Google releases May 2022 broad core update - https://searchengineland.com/google-releases-may-2022-broad-core-update-385435
  • Aleyda Solis  on Twitter - broad core update recovery flow chart - https://twitter.com/aleyda/status/1530997555424894986?s=12&t=hCLeY_4gWqgsK8bPQ_75gw
• 23 Million Internal Links - A Google SEO Case Study - https://zyppy.com/seo/internal-links/seo-study/

Carrie’s Links

• How to Strategize Your Local SEO Audit - Our own @ownyourserp along with Ben Fisher and Steve Wiideman - https://resources.duda.co/how-to-strategize-your-local-seo-audit
• When Amazon Drones Crashed, the Company Told the FAA to Go Fly a Kite  - https://www.businessinsider.com/amazon-prime-air-faa-regulators-investigation-drone-crashes-2022-5
• LocalU Advanced Agenda - Denver July 28, 2022 - https://localu.org/den22

Mike’s Links:

• Bill Slawski, mentor & friend, passes away - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8FzyJ0Bo85s
• Amazon tests using Flex drivers to make mall deliveries - https://www.cnbc.com/2022/05/20/amazon-tests-using-flex-drivers-to-make-mall-deliveries-.html
• Union claims Apple broke federal labor law at World Trade Center store - https://appleinsider.com/articles/22/05/19/union-claims-apple-broke-federal-labor-law-at-world-trade-center-store
• Google Messages RCS is being abused for ads in India - https://9to5google.com/2022/05/17/google-messages-rcs-ads-india/
• Panic Buying Is The New Backlink - https://www.localseoguide.com/panic-buying-is-the-new-backlink/

Carrie’s Links

• Google Posts > Desktop Business Profiles | Local Search Forum - Offer Posts Not Surfacing via Joy Hawkins - https://localsearchforum.com/threads/google-posts-desktop-business-profiles.58986/
• Local SEO For Ukraine - LIVE - Weds May 25, 2022 - https://www.brightlocal.com/local-seo-for-ukraine/
• Surprise: ‘Near me’ brand names don’t rank higher for ‘near me’ searches  Chris Silver-Smith - https://searchengineland.com/near-me-searches-local-seo-optimize-or-avoid-385227%E2%80%8B%E2%80%8B

Mike’s Links:

• Amazon’s surprising new delivery partners: Rural mom-and-pop shops - https://www.vox.com/recode/2022/5/9/23063528/amazon-rural-small-business-delivery-program-hub-partners-usps
• DC Restaurants Turn A Profit With No Tips & Higher Salaries - https://stories.zagat.com/posts/dc-restaurants-turn-a-profit-with-no-tips-higher-salaries
• Four Years Ago, This Chick-Fil-A Started Paying $17 An Hour. It Transformed the Business. — Entrepreneur - https://apple.news/Awuv7X_KWQ2q9POyB89deWw
• Google Throws More Reviews into the Filter Van - https://www.localvisibilitysystem.com/2022/05/10/google-throws-more-reviews-into-the-filter-van/
•  Hotel Place Topics now showing Thumbs Up/Down (Twitter) - https://twitter.com/mblumenthal/status/1525876039213367301?s=12&t=96uD9EC0VsBkqx-kxCb0Rg

Carrie’s Links

• 5 Things to Check When Your Google Business Profile Rankings Drop - Sterling Sky Inc  - https://www.sterlingsky.ca/google-business-profile-ranking-drop/
• Google I/O 2022: Multisearch to Gain Local Information, Powerful Scene Exploration Feature Teased | Technology News - https://gadgets360.com/internet/news/google-io-2022-search-multisearch-local-results-lens-scene-exploration-feature-2965650
  • Related: Multisearch & Lens + Near Me - https://www.nearmedia.co/ep-64/
• LocalU advanced tickets at https:/localu.org/den22
  • Pre agenda pricing expires 5/24 at midnight

Mike’s Links:

• This 'rater' gets paid $10 an hour to teach Google's algorithm — and he's not alone - https://finance.yahoo.com/news/google-raters-paid-to-teach-algorithm-204308901.html
• Google "More About" Search Carousel - ​​https://www.seroundtable.com/google-search-more-about-33370.html
• Tom Waddington: LSA Carousel Test - https://twitter.com/tomwaddington8/status/1523004677331333120
• Google Adds Guidelines for Delivery-Only Food Businesses - Local University - https://localu.org/google-delivery-only-food-business/

Carrie’s Links

• Greg Sterling shared https://www.shopify.com/blog/small-business-marketing - Sent out a blog post urging smbs to incentivize reviews, It has since been updated, but it is a signal that sometimes these platforms are NOT marketers, and SMBs are done disservices by thinking they are.
• Joy noticed late last week that if your Q&A has questions and answers, but only ONE unanswered question - https://twitter.com/JoyanneHawkins/status/1519644439760850944
• Google has added “this biz doesnt exist” as option to the business redressal complaint form. - https://www.seroundtable.com/google-maps-business-redressal-form-business-doesnt-exist-33368.html
• Tickets on sale for LocalU Advanced in Denver -pre agenda pricing for the full day is $649 through May 24, 2022 - https://localu.org/upcoming-events/denver2022/
• Local SEO For Ukraine - LIVE May 25, 2022 - https://www.brightlocal.com/local-seo-for-ukraine/
• Local SEO Strategy Webinar, June 7, 2022 - 1pm ET - Elizabeth Rule, Steve Wiideman & Ben Fisher - for now you can register w/ the Duda event bot on Facebook - will update when a direct registration link is shared - https://l.facebook.com/l.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fm.me%2F100848038927591%3Fref%3Deb_share_event--UEdUeXJpTkJ1RUQ5K1hudHNVbVZpZz09%26fbclid%3DIwAR17FQOiYocg7WGi0ttumwKV11tF3wrUginGhy9HDiOBtIVUOayZ0Ey95Zk&h=AT0Dfx7kMPuFHJa5tyMy2Fo0keY7sALmNr6Ou8KE3nqkFQWGNB3MqT0Kuf9rGW6XmVNwwbYX5-QgDvT3gN2zGzmJUvNW1YXnokCEipitH4xlypb2XjBLNHoIlXEbavD57LqRYW4&__tn__=-UK-R&c[0]=AT3TmYHbr1uJScQl1z8NBObi1ImVmJ6DJmubs6Eu0Gvl_n01WKjcdFmoIXgYK2iB_Zb0irAtUGxvFFqgSWI0HzF6j72MSPHnCIz9SglxXlUMUMFe9saswiIaeTP14zlRgtTa1xnkJHQ1jzDowyCyo5ZoN8ua5ATVU5Fz_FPZrqVYzgvf8biVlLwPciI76JsNoH3gzoSWjWV99w

Mike’s Links:

• Localogy Acquires Localized Marketing News Pioneer Street Fight - https://www.localogy.com/localogy-acquires-localized-marketing-news-pioneer-street-fight/
• Instacart searches for a direction as its pandemic boom fades - https://www.seattletimes.com/business/instacart-searches-for-a-direction-as-its-pandemic-boom-fades/
• Ratings vs Review Text - Which is more important for buyer conversions? - https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=09jDV4hB3Kk
• What Should Be in Your Local SEO Bug-Out Bag? A Checklist - https://www.localvisibilitysystem.com/2022/04/30/what-should-be-in-your-local-seo-bug-out-bag-a-checklist/
• Google Business Profile Manager Is Going Away Early 2022 (Updated: Not Going Away) - https://www.seroundtable.com/google-business-profile-manager-going-away-early-2022-33317.html#:~:text=businesses%20with%20multiple%20profiles%20will%20continue%20to%20have%20access%20to%20Business%20Profile%20Manager
• Google Reduces Visibility Of Business Edits With Color Changes To Updates - https://www.seroundtable.com/google-reduces-visibility-of-business-edits-33322.html

Carrie’s Links

• Infinite Scroll on Page 1-  - https://twitter.com/brodieseo/status/1521090389498757120
• The politics of Section 230 reform: Learning from FOSTA's mistakes - https://www.brookings.edu/research/the-politics-of-section-230-reform-learning-from-fostas-mistakes/
• White House didn't tie Section 230 reforms to Musk | AP News - https://apnews.com/article/Fact-Check-Section-230-Musk-Twitter-709111336397
• JC Penney owners Simon and Brookfield prepared to buy Kohl's for $8.6B, NY Post reports | Retail Dive - https://www.retaildive.com/news/jc-penney-owners-simon-and-brookfield-prepared-to-buy-kohls-for-86b-n/622653/
• Victoria's Secret and Pink open Amazon storefront to stoke beauty sales | Retail Dive - https://www.retaildive.com/news/victorias-secret-and-pink-open-amazon-storefront-to-sto

Mike’s Links:

• Amazon targets rival Shopify with a new ‘Buy with Prime’ service - https://www.digitalcommerce360.com/2022/04/21/amazon-targets-rival-shopify-with-a-new-buy-with-prime-service/
• Fake reviews to be illegal under new rules - https://www.bbc.com/news/business-61154748
• Scammers used AI-generated faces to pose as a Boston law firm - https://thenextweb.com/news/scammers-used-ai-generated-faces-to-pose-as-a-boston-law-firm
• Google Site Kit gains ideas to write about section - https://searchengineland.com/google-site-kit-gains-ideas-to-write-about-section-383673
• The Visual Future of Local Search - Part 3 - https://www.nearmedia.co/google-and-the-visual-future-of-local-search-part-3/

Carrie’s Links

• Beware: Google Business Profile Messaging Spam & Scam Attempts - Barry Schwartz -https://www.seroundtable.com/google-business-profile-spam-scam-attempts-via-messaging-33288.html
• Google Analytics Real Time Reporting Bugs With Universal Analytics Won't Be Fully Fixed - Barry - https://www.seroundtable.com/google-analytics-real-time-reporting-bugs-33291.html
• Offer Posts Appearing in a Deals tab on the GBP on Mobile - Claire Carlile - https://twitter.com/clairecarlile/status/1517243060106797062
• 4 Components of Local SEO Strategy - Duda webinar with Elizabeth Rule of Sterling Sky, Anton Schulke, Ben Fisher and Steve Wideman - https://t.co/mi6SFaTybw
• How to get reviews for local SEO: The must-do list - Erin Jones - https://t.co/cESJK7EvRM

Mike’s Links:

• As long-running legal feud slogs on, Lampert and Sears Holdings creditors ordered to mediation - https://www.retaildive.com/news/as-long-running-legal-feud-slogs-on-lampert-and-sears-holdings-creditors-o/621813/
• Greg's SEO Presentation from Brighton SEO - https://searchlabdigital.com/blog/gregs-seo-presentation-from-brightonseo/
• 9 Local SEO Tips From Top Experts - https://www.searchenginejournal.com/9-local-seo-tips-from-top-experts/445229/
• The Visual Future of Local Search - Part 1 - https://www.nearmedia.co/google-and-the-visual-future-of-local-search-part-1/
• The Visual Future of Local Search - Part 2 - https://www.nearmedia.co/google-and-the-visual-future-of-local-search-part-2/

Carrie’s Links

• Google Screened Local Results At This Business Carousel via Saad Alikhan - https://www.seroundtable.com/google-local-screened-results-at-this-business-carousel-33227.html
• GA3 to GA4 goals import, but read the help docs first - via @rustybrick & @CharlesFarina - https://www.seroundtable.com/universal-analytics-goals-import-google-analytics-33268.html
• Google Business Profile with Joy Hawkins | Local Search Clinic - listen to the recording from Joy Hawkins and Claire Carlile - https://www.brightlocal.com/local-search-clinic-april-2022/
• Upcoming changes to your Brand Accounts | Local Search Forum from the LSF - lots of discussion about what to do with tips from Krystal Taing, Joy, and a few others. - https://localsearchforum.com/threads/upcoming-changes-to-your-brand-accounts.58895/

Mike’s Links:

• Amazon Intends to Appeal Union Victory in New York — The Wall Street Journal - https://apple.news/AVxR8-7XzS1-s2CRDr_dZpA
• Go beyond the search box: Introducing multisearch - https://blog.google/products/search/multisearch/
• Google indexing, 80% indexed in 24h, indexed or re-credited - https://indexmenow.com/en/
• Stefan Somborac on thread on AI Hours Update on Twitter - https://twitter.com/stefansomborac/status/1513110891625074689?s=12&t=nMDNPOry_bn0cuunUngwLA
• How AI and imagery build a self-updating map - https://blog.google/products/maps/how-ai-and-imagery-build-self-updating-map/
• Google Local Finder Becomes a Product Finder - https://www.nearmedia.co/google-local-finder-becomes-a-product-finder/
  
  

Carrie’s Links

•  Onebox preview vs overlay in maps test - spotted by Punit via Twitter - https://twitter.com/punit6008/status/1511992120499789827
• The State of Spam Fighting: What We Learned From Analyzing 5,306 Listings in 16 Industries - https://www.sterlingsky.ca/google-maps-spam-study/
• LSAs add more categories - via Joy Hawkins on Twitter - https://twitter.com/JoyanneHawkins/status/1511798810783191057