The Local Memo

In this week’s update, learn about Meta’s move to lay off 11,000 employees; video previews in Google Business Profiles; a Google bug that deletes reviews; the disappearance of Google photo views; the possibility of bankruptcy at Twitter; and the launch of TomTom’s new mapping platform.

In this week’s update, learn about Google’s new shopping features for the holidays; more users being pushed to the GBP Search interface; the question of review text as a ranking factor; the diminishing importance of backlinks; semantic photography in search; and a volatile first week for Twitter’s new regime.

In this week’s update, learn about the dramatic first days of Twitter under Elon Musk; the still-frustrating topic of Google Business Profile suspensions; a new survey showing TikTok’s popularity for restaurant recommendations; signs local pack frequency may be decreasing; the shuttering of the Google Maps COVID-19 layer; and a new study from Semrush suggesting zero click is much less common than you thought.

In this week’s update, learn about the impact of inflation on consumer search; local SEO maintenance tasks you shouldn’t neglect; updates on Google suspensions and review removals; new local features in search results; third-party links in healthcare profiles; and the prevalence of Google-owned features in product searches.

In this week’s update, learn about Google’s new ticket pricing feature in business profiles; an experimental “Hear about this place” feature in local results; an unconfirmed Google algorithm update; the fundamentals of influencer marketing; Twitter’s Link Spotlight feature for Professional Accounts; and the long road to build the metaverse.

In this week’s update, learn about a wave of Google suspensions plaguing business owners; subjective attribute scores in GBP insights; Google’s guidelines on review gating; the removal of health and safety attributes; Walmart’s foray into immersive shopping; and Yelp’s new report on business growth in non-downtown neighborhoods.

In this week’s update, learn about the local highlights (and some others) from Google’s recent Search On event; an academic study on the impact of fake reviews; free Google Fi for Local Guides; the completion of Google’s latest algorithm updates; and an updated look for the Local Finder.

In this week’s update, learn about tips for holiday marketing on Facebook and Instagram; the FTC’s guidance to consumers on fake reviews; Meta’s new tools for creators; Google’s new Product Reviews Update; the impact of the Helpful Content Update; and what happens in one minute on the internet.

In this week’s update, learn about a bug causing service area businesses to disappear from search; Google’s September Core Update; new rules from Google on review incentives; Google testing “beta questions” in reviews; anonymous Google reviewers; and coverage of TikTok as a search engine in the New York Times.

In this week’s update, learn about retailers’ preparations for Black Friday 2022; the end of the Helpful Content Update rollout; Google’s new timestamps in local photos; a virtual conference about Google Search; using Facebook competitions to build engagement; and Instagram’s new topics feature for Reels.