In this episode, we sit down with SEO legend James Dooley, who has built and ranked over 1,000 domains and generated more than 2 million enquiries online. If you’re wondering how to rank a website on Google in 2026, this is the conversation you need to hear.

01:36 - The Key to Winning in 2026: Holistic Marketing

02:07 - Finding Profit in Narrow Niches

04:11 - Social Media for Local Businesses: Ranking Your Posts

06:22 - Optimizing Facebook Posts for Search

08:27 - Explaining Semantic Triples

09:44 - Strategies for Forcing Google to Index Content

12:28 - Leveraging Facebook Groups for Visibility

16:21 - The Power of Self-Promoting Listicles

19:14 - Facebook Pages vs. Profiles for SEO

21:11 - LinkedIn vs. Other Platforms: Hashtags and Links

22:42 - Cracking the Code on Reddit Ranking

26:22 - AI Overviews: Impact on Lead Volume and Quality

30:52 - The Future of LLMs: ChatGPT vs. Claude and Gemini

36:06 - Crafting the Perfect URL Structure

39:05 - When to Create Specific Service Area Pages

41:46 - Essential Elements of a Service Area Page

45:54 - The Truth About Duplicate Content on Local Sites

52:24 - Algorithm Update Trends: Brand and Social Signals

55:36 - Why Traditional Link Building is Diminishing

58:56 - Avoiding Toxic Links and PBN Scams

1:02:44 - Proactive Reputation Management

1:04:50 - James's Recommendations for Learning SEO

1:06:22 - How Long Does It Take to Rank a New Site?

1:12:18 - How Paid Traffic Indirectly Boosts Organic Rankings

1:15:06 - The Mistake of Using Separate Domains for PPC

1:19:37 - Social Media Ad Strategies for Lead Generation

1:23:13 - Local Pack vs. Organic Leads: Quality Comparisons

1:25:01 - Speed to Lead: The Importance of Rapid Response

1:27:28 - Utilizing WhatsApp and SMS for Lead Nurturing

__________________________________________

Grow Your Business With Local SEO

At Sterling Sky, we're passionate about helping businesses like yours achieve their local SEO goals. We know that the digital landscape can be confusing and ever-changing, so we've made it our mission to provide you with the expert guidance and support your need to succeed.

We've helped countless businesses achieve their local SEO goals, and we're confident that we can help you do the same.

READY TO TAKE YOUR LOCAL SEO TO THE NEXT LEVEL?

Websites:

https://www.sterlingsky.ca/

https://localu.org/

https://localsearchforum.com/

Blogs:

https://www.sterlingsky.ca/blog/

https://localu.org/blog/

Ever had a customer swear they left a 5-star review, but it never appears or vanishes without a trace? With sophisticated artificial intelligence and advanced pattern recognition capabilities, algorithms are getting better at identifying unusual activity.

This video explains how 'missing reviews' and spikes in customer review volume can flag your online reputation, especially on platforms like Google Reviews. It's not just random; ai models are becoming incredibly adept at detecting fake reviews and other anomalies.

🔗 Show Links & Resources

📈 Local SEO Research & Reports

◼Google Map Pack Study: How Call Buttons Affect Rankings

https://smallbizedge.com/reports/map-pack-call-buttons/

◼Industry Report: The State of Local SEO in 2026

https://www.sterlingsky.ca/the-state-of-local-seo-in-2026/

◼Analysis: The New Ranking Factor Landscape

https://www.linkedin.com/posts/claudia-tomina_the-new-ranking-factor-landscape-google-activity-7425213430845976577-ucC_/

🛠 GBP Management & Policy Updates

◼Policy Update: GBP Identity & Review Policy Changes

https://www.linkedin.com/posts/hiroko-imai_the-google-business-profile-policy-has-been-activity-7429686096822812672-GMWv/

◼SAB Guide: How to Move an SAB Without Destroying Rankings

https://www.sterlingsky.ca/move-your-sab-without-destroying-rankings/

◼Reference: Google Maps Business Support

https://developers.google.com/maps/documentation/geocoding/overview

📊 Data & Visuals

◼State of Local SEO in 2026:

https://www.sterlingsky.ca/the-state-of-local-seo-in-2026/

◼% of Keyword with Local Services Ads (LSA):

https://www.sterlingsky.ca/wp-content/uploads/2026/02/LSA-Ads-v2-padding-1-2048x1270.png

◼% of Keywords Showing Local Pack Ads :

https://www.sterlingsky.ca/wp-content/uploads/2026/02/CleanShot-2026-03-30-at-10.51.31-1024x635.png

#localseo #seo #localsearch

__________________________________________

Grow Your Business With Local SEO

At Sterling Sky, we're passionate about helping businesses like yours achieve their local SEO goals. We know that the digital landscape can be confusing and ever-changing, so we've made it our mission to provide you with the expert guidance and support your need to succeed.

We've helped countless businesses achieve their local SEO goals, and we're confident that we can help you do the same.

READY TO TAKE YOUR LOCAL SEO TO THE NEXT LEVEL?

Websites:

https://www.sterlingsky.ca/

https://localu.org/

https://localsearchforum.com/

Blogs:

https://www.sterlingsky.ca/blog/

https://localu.org/blog/

⏯️ Chapters:

01:20 Guest Introduction: Claudia Tomina

01:42 #1 Reason Reviews Don't Publish: No Prior Engagement

03:02 Tips to Get Reviews to Publish (Branded Search Strategy)

05:18 Is Google Punishing Businesses for Using Their Own Review Link?

07:09 Do Review Request Campaigns Boost Rankings?

08:06 CTR Manipulation: Does It Work & Can It Hurt You?

10:37 Can You Recover Unpublished or Deleted Reviews?

11:50 Review Velocity & Patterns That Trigger Filtering

13:13 Real Case: Law Firm Burned by Bought Reviews

15:12 When Google Flags a Group of Negative Reviews as an Attack

18:26 Pre-Algorithm vs. Post-Algorithm Review Removal

20:33 The "4–5 Day Disappearing Review" Trend: Bug or Feature?

37:55 The Future of Google Bookings & Agentic Local Search

39:48 Google's Chat Feature: Why It's Not Taking Off

40:52 Are Google Posts Worth It? When They Work & When They Don't

43:46 AI-Generated Content on Google Business Profiles

45:32 Editorial Summaries vs. Review Summaries vs. "Know Before You Go"

47:29 Who to Follow for Local SEO Insights

50:41 Removing Negative Reviews: What Actually Works

52:49 What Causes Google to Block Google Posts

54:06 Starting a New Business: How to Allocate 5 Hours/Week for Marketing

55:56 What Content Is Working Right Now (and What's Dying)

58:06 Is Social Media a Direct Google Ranking Factor?

1:01:18 Real Local SEO Problem: Website URL Change That Generated Instant Calls

1:02:36 Primary Category Strategy & Why It Determines Your Rankings

1:07:06 Google Business Profiles Are Driving Fewer Calls — Why?

1:09:30 The Rise of Local Service Ads & Map Pack Ads (2024–2026 Data)

1:12:40 AI Mode vs. Traditional Google Maps: The Key Differences

1:14:02 Live Demo: AI Mode Search for "Best Sushi in Michigan"

1:19:29 Ranking Signals That Matter for AI Mode (vs. Local Pack)

1:26:19 Map Pin Placement: The Hidden Ranking Factor Most Businesses Miss

1:29:49 Service Area Businesses & the Hidden Address Problem

1:35:45 Rapid Fire Q&A: Overrated Tactics, Reviews vs. Backlinks & More

1:37:14 Where to Find Claudia Tamina & Closing Thoughts

Ep 26074

Google's increasingly aggressive crackdowns and harsher core updates are significantly impacting Local SEO and AI search professionals. Medium to Small Businesses are experiencing major traffic losses due to these changes, often without understanding the cause. This situation necessitates a strategic adaptation to the new landscape, focusing on content adjustments and off-site brand mentions to mitigate the effects of Google algorithm shifts and stay ahead of AI updates in search.

Lily Ray @amsive joins us to break down why small to medium businesses are being hit the hardest by Google and provides a strategic roadmap for content adjustments, brand mentions, and surviving the shift to AI-driven search.

#localseo #seo #localsearch

🕒 Timestamps:

00:00 Introduction: The SEO Landscape in 2026

01:03 Who is Lily Ray?

02:02 Is AI Content Inherently Dangerous?

04:03 The Risks of "Scaling" Content & City Pages

06:15 Service Area Pages vs. Physical Locations

09:23 Why YMYL Topics Face Higher Scrutiny

10:41 How AI Overviews are Killing Organic Traffic

12:48 Action Items: Diversification & Digital PR

15:47 The New Role of SEOs: LLM Discoverability

17:41 Why Reddit & Forums are Dominating Search

18:55 Small Business Strategy: Video & Authenticity

21:14 Analyzing the Most Recent Core Updates

24:10 Google’s Preference for .gov & Authority Sites

27:28 How to Diagnose & Recover from a Hit

31:16 The Truth About Backlinks & Disavow Tools

34:14 Content Classifiers & Site-Wide Demotions

37:00 Local Pack vs. Organic: Why GBP Stays Safe

39:05 The Crackdown on Self-Serving Listicles

44:17 E-E-A-T: Common Misconceptions Debunked

48:12 The War on AI-Generated Fake Reviews

51:51 Rapid-Fire Questions & Future Myths

🔗 Resources:

Lily Ray’s Newsletter: https://www.amsive.com/insights/

Joy Hawkins' Newsletter: https://www.sterlingsky.ca/newsletter/

Google Search Console Guide: https://support.google.com/webmasters/answer/9128669

__________________________________________

Grow Your Business With Local SEO

At Sterling Sky, we're passionate about helping businesses like yours achieve their local SEO goals. We know that the digital landscape can be confusing and ever-changing, so we've made it our mission to provide you with the expert guidance and support your need to succeed.

We've helped countless businesses achieve their local SEO goals, and we're confident that we can help you do the same.

READY TO TAKE YOUR LOCAL SEO TO THE NEXT LEVEL?

Websites:

https://www.sterlingsky.ca/

https://localu.org/

https://localsearchforum.com/

Blogs:

https://www.sterlingsky.ca/blog/

https://localu.org/blog/

Ep 26104

Google Business Profile suspensions, disappearing reviews, and sudden listing removals are happening more often than ever, and most business owners have no idea why.

In this webinar, we sit down with a seasoned Google Business Profile product expert, Ben Fisher, Co-Founder at @SteadyDemand who works inside the mess every day, dealing with real suspensions, failed verifications, spam networks, and review wipeouts.

Links:

Steady Demand

https://www.steadydemand.com/

Tool http://peec.ai/

Sterling Sky Podcast

https://www.sterlingsky.ca/local-seo-the-experts-guide-podcast/

Localu Global Virtual Conference VOD

https://localu.org/localu-global-access-on-demand-recorded-january-28-2026/

Local Search Reddit

https://www.reddit.com/r/localsearch/

Video: 7 Local SEO Mistakes Costing Your Business THOUSANDS (Fix These NOW!)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=54_JsfQuLx8

#localseo #googlebusinessprofile #digitalmarketing

EP 26008

AI is changing local SEO fast—and your Google visibility may be shrinking even if rankings haven’t dropped. Using data from 179 Google Business Profiles, this video exposes how AI Local Packs are replacing the 3-pack, slashing calls and traffic. Learn why it’s happening, what it means for your business, and how to adapt now.

In this exclusive session, we’re joined by Mike King, one of the sharpest minds in search, to unpack the wildest shifts happening in Google’s AI-powered results right now. You’ll get a behind-the-scenes look at real tactics Mike is using for clients today to gain visibility across AI platforms like Google and ChatGPT and how you can apply them immediately.

LIVE TOOL DEMO: Mike will walk through a powerful fan-out query tool that uncovers how Google is interpreting and ranking entire topics. We’ll even use real audience examples in the demo so you can see it in action.

What you’ll learn:

✅ The “fan-out query” method explained in plain English

✅ How to pull Google’s full query list for your niche

✅ Tactics to help small businesses stand out in an AI-dominated search landscape

✅ Why certain blackhat strategies still work (and Mike’s take on them)

Whether you’re a business owner, SEO strategist, or just trying to stay ahead of AI’s impact on search, this webinar will leave you with actionable insights you won’t find anywhere else.

Save your seat now and come ready with a topic for the live tool demo! Register👉 https://localu.org/how-rank-2026-mike-king-webinar/

Links:

Mike King's Tool - https://ipullrank.com/tools/qforia

https://ipullrank.com/case-studies

Mike King's Conference April 27-30, 2026 - https://seoweek.org/

LocalU Global - Attend from Anywhere🌎 - https://localu.org/etn/localu-global-january-28-2026/

Next Months Webinar: https://localu.org/gbp-violations-punishment-ben-fisher/

Local SEO is changing fast! For more 👉🏻 https://www.sterlingsky.ca/the-state-of-local-seo-in-2026/ Learn about the 3 major threats facing businesses in 2026: disappearing organic visibility, AI's impact on search, and aggressive review attacks. Experts Joy Hawkins @SterlingSkyInc Luc Durand @rankingacademy & Darren Shaw @WhitesparkCa reveal how to prepare, understand mobile search shifts, deal with fake reviews, and apply effective strategies to stay competitive. Don't fall behind – watch LIVE to secure your local rankings!

Date : December 17, 2025

Time : 11:00 am - 1:00 pm ET

Register for updates: https://localu.org/etn/surviving-local-seo-in-2026/

Chapters:

0:00 Welcome to 2026 Local SEO Threats & Expert Introductions

2:00 Understanding Declining Google Business Profile Calls

4:30 The Impact of AI-Powered Local Packs on Visibility

8:00 Google's Monetization Strategy & SERP Changes

13:00 The Rise of Local Pack Ads and Local Services Ads (LSAs)

16:00 Maximizing Value from Local Services Ads: Agency Perspective

20:00 Diversifying Lead Generation Beyond Organic SEO

23:00 Analyzing Traffic from AI Platforms like ChatGPT & Gemini

29:00 Why Video Marketing is Essential for Local Businesses

36:00 Debunking Local SEO Myths: Geotagging & AI-Generated Video

40:00 Whitespark Local Ranking Grid: Advanced Tracking & LLM Visibility

45:00 Effective Strategies for Google Review Generation

50:00 Open Hours as a Local Ranking Factor & Service Area Business (SAB) Challenges

58:00 Navigating Co-working Spaces & Subleasing for Business Addresses

1:02:00 Optimizing Service Area Pages & Core Business Citations

1:07:00 Combating Review Extortion & Understanding Google's Review Jail

1:19:00 Top Local SEO Strategies for 2026 Success

1:25:00 Identifying & Avoiding Wasted Local SEO Tactics

1:32:00 Ranking Strategies for Gemini AI & Perplexity: What Matters Now

1:36:00 Essential Call Tracking for Local SEO & The Role of TikTok Ads

1:40:00 Developing Niche Video Content Ideas for Local Businesses

1:42:00 Local Grid Tracking: "Near Me" vs. "Keyword + City" Queries

1:44:00 Best Practices for Responding to Negative Google Reviews

1:48:00 Final Key Takeaways to Future-Proof Your Local Business

#LocalSEO

#GoogleBusinessProfile

#ReviewManagement

We thought press releases were dead for Local SEO, but new tests prove they're a powerful, overlooked strategy! For more 👉🏻 https://www.sterlingsky.ca/do-press-releases-help-with-seo/ Discover how PRs boost local pack & organic rankings, plus influence Google's AI overviews. We share real case studies with significant traffic jumps. SEO evolves fast – learn why always testing is critical for success in 2025. Comment if you're testing & subscribe for more data-driven SEO insights! #PressReleaseSEO #LocalSEOStrategy #GoogleRankings #LocalSEOStrategy #GoogleRankings

Dive deep into the evolving world of SEO with expert insights! Learn why traditional SEO tactics are dead, how Forbes' strategy crumbled, and the new 2026 playbook for success. Discover the power of brand building, founder marketing, and Reddit as an SEO cheat code. We'll also explore AI's true role in content and what Google won't tell you. Don't miss out on strategies to protect your traffic and thrive in 2026 and beyond. Subscribe for cutting-edge Local SEO insights!

Date : November 13, 2025

Time : 1:00 pm - 2:30 pm ET

Register for updates: https://localu.org/etn/the-future-of-seo-what-google-wont-tell-you-but-we-will/

Chapters:

00:00 - Intro: The Future of SEO & Content

00:40 - Why Viral Content Isn't Always Effective

01:40 - Forbes' SEO Strategy Collapse Explained

04:05 - Understanding Google's Helpful Content Update

06:45 - The Old SEO Playbook: What's Dead in 2025

09:30 - The New SEO Strategy: Build Brand First

12:00 - SEO for Small Businesses: When to Invest

14:20 - Choosing Organic Channels: Fit Over Hype

17:30 - Reddit: The SEO "Cheat Code" & Its Risks

23:45 - How Reddit Manipulates Google & AI

28:00 - Founder Marketing & Business Exits

30:45 - Small Business Marketing: Ads vs. SEO

33:00 - Personal Brand: Surviving the AI Content Wave

35:30 - Hyper-Targeted Bottom-Funnel Content

38:00 - Future of Marketing: Private Communities (Discord, WhatsApp)

43:00 - Ranking in the AI Era: LLMs & SEO

45:30 - New AI Ranking Signals: Reviews, Awards, PR

47:00 - SEO Timeline for Small Businesses: Realistic Expectations

49:10 - Competitor Comparison Content Strategy

52:30 - Website Health Tools & Keyword Research for Topics

55:20 - AI in Content Creation: Repurposing vs. Originality

01:00:30 - The #1 Skill for New Marketers: Copywriting

01:02:00 - Recommended Copywriting Books

01:03:00 - Final Thoughts & Connect with Lars

#SEOFuture #GoogleAI #LocalSEO

Struggling with 'near me' rankings on Google Maps? Our groundbreaking study of 8,000+ businesses across 200 cities uncovers 6 crucial, data-backed factors for dominating local search. We reveal why hiding your address hurts, the power of consistent text reviews, and critical content & photo strategies. Stop guessing and start ranking! What's your biggest 'near me' ranking challenge? Comment below & subscribe for more expert SEO tips!