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Google and Booking: The Symbiotic Gatekeeper Relationship in European Hotel Search - 

We dive into our recent  user behavior research findings about hotel searches in Europe. We recruited 100 users each  from Spain, France, and Germany, asking them to find hotels in Paris or Rome, and observed how they interacted with Google's search results.

The European hotel market is quite distinct, with behavior in hotel searches differing drastically from other verticals, as well as across countries. This, coupled with Google’s persistent self-preferencing, poses challenges for fair competition.

EU Court Upholds €2.5 Billion Fine Against Google: Antitrust Ruling Could Shape Future Regulations:

In a landmark decision, the European Court of Justice upheld a €2.5 billion fine against Google for antitrust violations in its Shopping Search case. This ruling marks a significant win for regulators, setting the stage for broader action against Google's self-preferencing practices across multiple sectors.

The case, which dates back over a decade, focused on Google's practice of promoting its own shopping services at the expense of competitors. Despite Google's appeal, the court sided with regulators, reinforcing the original decision. While the fine represents a small fraction of Google’s revenue, the ruling sends a strong message about the EU's determination to hold tech giants accountable.

The key takeaway? The court highlighted that Google's use of "boxes" in search results, which showcase its own services prominently, was a major factor in the decision. This could have serious implications for other verticals like local and hotel search, where similar self-preferencing behavior is prevalent.

Moreover, the Digital Markets Act (DMA) gives the EU further tools to regulate Google’s behavior across sectors. Fines under the DMA could reach up to 20% of global revenue for repeat violations, raising the stakes significantly.

With this ruling in place, it’s clear that European regulators are prepared to push harder on Google’s dominance, not just in shopping but across the entire search ecosystem.

 Leveling the Playing Field: Remedies for Google’s Self-Preferencing Practices

In the ongoing conversation about Google's self-preferencing, the focus turned to potential remedies in light of mounting regulatory pressure. We discussed various solutions that could address the issues raised by Google’s dominance, particularly in light of the European Court of Justice ruling.

Ultimately, the team concluded that Google's self-preferencing creates an unfair advantage for itself and other monopolistic platforms. Remedies should focus on leveling the playing field, encouraging competition, and limiting Google’s ability to monetize every user interaction. As regulation heats up, Google’s dominance across industries—especially in search—faces significant challenges in the coming years.

The Near Memo is a weekly conversation about Search, Social, and Commerce: What happened, why it matters, and the implications for local businesses and national brands.
Ep 174 Near Memo

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Google Review Fraud Landscape (10:04):

• Estimates that 18% of reviews across various platforms are fake.
• Home service industries, such as locksmiths, moving companies, and HVAC, are heavily affected.
• Legal sector is also impacted, with fake reviews prevalent among personal injury, criminal defense, and DUI lawyers.

LSA Review Fraud (21:25):

• Lead generation scammers are stealing business from ethical businesses using fake LSA reviews.
• They overcharge consumers and use higher ad revenue to improve their bidding strategy within LSA dashboards.
• Google's LSA program is designed to give consumers confidence in businesses by elevating them above spam and fraud, but it has not been successful.

Practical Advice for Business Owners to Cope With Fake Reviews (40:50):

• Gather evidence of fraudulent activity, such as fake reviews or stolen business licenses, to build a strong case.
• Report fake reviews to Google through the proper channels, but be aware that Google's response may be slow or ineffective.
• Consider legal action against fraudulent businesses, as it may be a violation of racketeering laws in certain jurisdictions.
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• The Near Memo is a weekly conversation about Search, Social, and Commerce: What happened, why it matters, and the implications for local businesses and national brands.
  Ep 173 - vault ep 139

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LSA Increasingly relying on GBP Features: 

We delve into Google's ongoing “fixes” of LSA features, where reviews and booking tools for LSAs are being integrated from GBP. This move is seen as an attempt to streamline operations and reduce costs, especially in light of Google's recent staffing cuts as well as improve LSA’s ineffective review moderation. While operational efficiency might improve, Google’s tolerance of abuses in GBP means that the risk of review fraud in LSAs will persist.

Google Maps Gets a Makeover: Sleeker Design, but More Ads? 

Google's latest aesthetic changes to Google Maps, which have rolled out across both mobile and desktop platforms, includes subtler colors and smaller, rounder pins that make the interface resemble Apple Maps. While the changes make the map less cluttered, they also seem to highlight ads and promotional content more prominently. This shift has led to concerns that Google is prioritizing monetization over user experience, as irrelevant ads are now more noticeable on the map.

Yelp Takes on Google: Antitrust Showdown Over Local Search Dominance

Yelp's recent antitrust lawsuit against Google, filed in federal court in Northern California, accuses Google of abusing its market position in local search, echoing similar claims made in the recent DC Circuit case where Google was found liable for antitrust violations. Yelp argues that local search is a unique market, separate from general search, and claims Google unfairly pushed its own products, like the "local pack," at the expense of competitors like Yelp. The lawsuit highlights how Google's dominance in local search reviews and advertising has stifled competition, a move Yelp sees as detrimental to the broader local ecosystem.

The discussion also touches on the broader implications of this lawsuit for Google, which is already entangled in multiple antitrust battles globally and Yelp's timing might be strategic, capitalizing on the recent legal momentum against Google. With the case potentially setting a precedent in defining local search as a distinct market, the outcome could have significant repercussions not only in the U.S. but also in Europe, where Google has argued against treating local search separately.

The Near Memo is a weekly conversation about Search, Social, and Commerce: What happened, why it matters, and the implications for local businesses and national brands.
NearMemo Ep 172

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Google's PR Smoke and Mirrors: Old GBP Phone Hacking Problems Persist Despite Promises:

Spammers and scammers have been able to hijack business phone numbers on Google listings with alarming ease, despite Google's assurances that such problems were swiftly resolved. We  conducted an experiment, changing a listing's phone number through a fake business listing. The results were shocking—within minutes, the suggested phone number change was accepted, largely due to the high trust Google places in frequent editors, even those located halfway across the world.

This raises serious concerns about Google's handling of user-generated edits, especially when considering real-world implications, like the previous hijacking of major airlines' contact numbers. Despite Google's claims of quick fixes, the reality shows a continued vulnerability, with significant consequences for businesses globally. 

Cracks Down on Fake Reviews with New Readily Enforceable Rules:

In a significant move, the FTC has officially banned fake reviews and testimonials with a new rule that allows for fines up to $50,000 per instance of abuse. This rule, unlike previous guidelines, has the force of law, giving the FTC more teeth in combating fraudulent online practices. The rule targets a range of deceptive behaviors, including AI-generated reviews, purchased reviews, and insider testimonials. 

Despite the tough stance, enforcement is expected to be limited, focusing on the most egregious offenders. Smaller players and offshore review farms might continue to operate with little fear of repercussions. The new rule marks progress, but without stronger regulations on platforms themselves, the battle against fake reviews is far from won.

Segment 3 Title: SearchGPT & the Future of Search:

SearchGPT, still in its early stages, has shown promise in handling informational queries but lags behind Google in delivering robust local search results. Meanwhile, Apple’s strategic moves, such as making Apple Maps available on the web, signal its growing ambition to challenge Google’s dominance, possibly partnering with OpenAI to integrate local data into SearchGPT.

As Google faces antitrust scrutiny, the future of its lucrative default search deals with Apple hangs in the balance. The potential for divestitures of key assets like Chrome or Android could reshape the industry, but any significant changes are likely years away. With the rapid evolution of AI in search, the next few years could redefine how users interact with these platforms, setting the stage for a new era in digital search.

The Near Memo is a weekly conversation about Search, Social, and Commerce: What happened, why it matters, and the implications for local businesses and national brands.
Ep 171

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The Role of Brand in Seo: 

We speak with guest, Mordy Oberstein on the role of branding in SEO, particularly how it has re-emerged as a significant factor in conversions and SEO. We explore the interaction between brand and user experience, and the introduction of Google’s emphasis on brand in its algorithms.

Brand Differentiation and Local SEO: 

We delve into how brands differentiate themselves in the marketplace, particularly in local SEO contexts. What are the challenges small businesses face in building brand recognition? How do brand elements like reputation and local engagement impact SEO performance?

Practical Approaches to Brand Building and the Role of AI in Content Creation:

We focus on practical advice for SEO professionals on integrating brand-building strategies into their work. Mordy also explores the role of AI in content creation, highlighting the potential benefits and pitfalls of using AI tools in a strategic and controlled manner.

The Near Memo is a weekly conversation about Search, Social, and Commerce: What happened, why it matters, and the implications for local businesses and national brands.
Ep 170

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Google's Local Business Service Woes: Persistent Bugs and AI-Driven Layoffs Spark Concern: 

There have been ongoing support and technical issues with Google Business Profiles. Major bugs affecting local business profiles have persisted for months and in several cases years, including image misassignments and overzealous suspension algorithms that remove legitimate reviews. Google's support and engineering teams have struggled to resolve these issues, partly due to significant layoffs aimed at funding AI projects. While Google’s local business services might not generate significant revenue for Google, they are crucial for the company's differentiation in the market. Is Google killing the goose by milking traditional resources for income and not investing enough to stay ahead of the competition.

CNET's Future Under Ziff Davis: Challenges and Google Opportunities/Difficulties Post-Sale:  Red Ventures recently sold CNET to Ziff Davis for around $100 million, a significant loss from the $500 million purchase price. Despite Red Ventures' strong SEO and digital product expertise, CNET struggled due to aggressive content strategies and controversies over AI-generated content. CNET, once a trusted tech review site, saw its reputation and traffic decline. Factors like Google's increased emphasis on shopping ads and affiliate revenue pressures contributed to CNET's struggles. The sale to Ziff Davis is viewed as a positive move, but the site's recovery remains uncertain and tracking whether CNET can recover in the SERPS is worth following to see if a well managed, strong domain with good content can overcome Google’s algorithmic whims.

Google's Antitrust Remedies: Implications for Apple, Mozilla, and the SEO Landscape: 

What will the repercussions of Google's recent antitrust liability be?. The potential remedies, such as breaking up Google, ending exclusive default search deals with Apple, and implementing data-sharing practices, all have limits and issues. The big question will be the impact on Apple and Mozilla if Google’s default search deals are prohibited. Apple has the potential to develop a robust search engine, considering its existing search index and AI advancements. Perhaps we are seeing the outline of that via Apple’s announced relationship with ChatGPT. Given that the settlement could take 4 years and a similar amount of time for Apple to fully implement generative AI across their full user base, changes to the landscape will be slow in coming.  The long-term effects of these potential regulatory changes could impact Google's market dominance. For now and the immediate future, SEO’s need not worry as things will change little and when they do it will be slowly.

The Near Memo is a weekly conversation about Search, Social, and Commerce: What happened, why it matters, and the implications for local businesses and national brands.
Ep 169

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Segment 1:  OpenAI & MindTrip bring AI to search, will it matter?

Last Thursday, OpenAI made waves with an announcement about Search GPT, a prototype aimed at revamping the search experience for ChatGPT users. Promising a two-column format, it aims to ease the search process and challenge traditional search engines like Google. The prototype has the potential to streamline user experience while emphasizing publisher control and cooperation.
In related news, a new travel bot, MindTrip, emerged, offering a conversational approach to travel planning. Users can refine searches for hotels, activities, and dining options, echoing the AI-driven trip planning Google showcased at their IO event. 
Clearly Google has the mindshare, the consumer usage AND the knowledge graph to fend off these new competitors, but Google’s increasing contradictions and emphasis on income rather than user experience may hurt them.

Segment 2: Google’s Search Shenanigans: Boosting Numbers with Tricks?

Is Google might be artificially inflating search volumes? One tactic involves generating new URLs for actions like clicking reviews in business profiles, which counts as additional searches. Another strategy is tweaking ad displays to change when users return to the search page, boosting ad inventory without increasing actual searches.

This behavior coincides with Google’s internal goal of increasing search volumes, potentially to impress Wall Street. However, this approach might be backfiring, frustrating users who have to perform multiple searches to find relevant information. This shift towards prioritizing revenue over user experience raises questions about Google’s long-term strategy and the potential need for new leadership to refocus on user satisfaction. How sustainable are these tactics?

Segment 3: Can You Boost Google Local Rankings via Engagement?

Recent revelations from API leaks and DOJ findings highlight that Google uses click-through rates and on-site engagement as primary metrics to rank sites, contributing up to 30% of a site's ranking factors. This suggests that improving user interaction—like enhancing title tags, adding images, and boosting on-site engagement—can significantly impact search rankings.

Does Google use similar engagement metrics to influence local business rankings? Actions like users interacting with business profiles, scrolling through images, and reading reviews might boost local search visibility. While photos play a critical role in attracting user attention, reviews and specific content like menus or price information can drive deeper engagement, do they potentially also elevate rankings?

This underscores the importance of comprehensive competitor analysis to identify effective content strategies, ensuring businesses stay ahead in the local search game. As Google prioritizes engagement metrics, businesses must understand and cater to user desires on a category by category basis going forward.

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SEOs need to reframe how search ranking works - click thru data being the most important factor:  

Click data is a cornerstone of Google’s ranking algorithm, as highlighted by recent DOJ findings. Google uses its heavy reliance on click data to grasp new trends swiftly as well as to “understand” page quality. 

Traditional SEO elements like title tags, meta descriptions, scheme, great photos and content provide enduring value but with a new twist. These elements are tools to drive clicks and engagement and thus ultimately drive higher rankings.

Google Doubles Down on Tried & True Income Generators: 

Big changes are happening in the search results whether its AI overviews, Bing’s Generative Search, Reddit’s exclusive relationship with Google and decision to exclude others and all seem related to the rollout of AI on Google. But Google’s has been scaling back AI overviews due to high costs and the need for better monetization. With AI responses being expensive, Google’s focus is shifting towards proven money makers like YouTube, Merchant Center and Local results. Krum highlighted Google's continued play on its “micro moments”—know, go, do, buy—each tied to different monetized Google services.

Is Voice Search Set for a Comeback? SEOs Should Stay Calm and Test: 

With the evolving landscape of voice search and AI assistants, improvements in natural language processing and better ML programming could solve past issues, such as background noise interference. While voice commands for simple tasks like turning on lights or adding items to a shopping list have become second nature, using voice in public or work settings still feels socially awkward.

Cindy Krum emphasized the expansive nature of what constitutes a "search" in Google's eyes. A simple voice command involves complex data retrieval and context understanding, transforming voice interactions into a broad and intricate type of search. This perspective shift means SEOs might need to rethink their strategies to include optimization for these varied and nuanced queries.

While voice won't ever entirely replace screen-based interactions, its role could significantly expand if user experiences improve. Despite past disappointments with voice technology, there's cautious optimism that advancements could lead to broader acceptance and use.

Cindy advised SEOs to stay calm amid Google's rapid and sometimes erratic changes. She recommended continuing with proven strategies while experimenting with new platforms and search engines. The consensus was clear: it’s a volatile time in SEO, but understanding and adapting to these changes is crucial for future success.

The Near Memo is a weekly conversation about Search, Social, and Commerce: What happened, why it matters, and the implications for local businesses and national brands.
Ep 167

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In this extended episode of the Near Memo, Greg Sterling , Joy Hawkins, Darren Shaw & Mike Blumenthal explore the role of generative AI and how it has evolved one year after CHat GPT was released.  We cover:

• Experiences and opinions on the use of AI tools like ChatGPT in SEO and content creation.
• The effectiveness of AI in different aspects of agency work, including creative tasks and data analysis.
• The influence of AI on the quality of content and the evolving nature of SEO strategies.
• Perspectives on the future impact of AI on the SEO industry and the role of agencies.

How Local SEO agencies use AI to improve client content:

• Content Creation Challenges with AI: Contrary to initial expectations, AI has not replaced content writers. While it is used for drafting and repurposing content, AI-generated articles often require extensive human editing, especially for factual accuracy and coherence.
• Content Refinement and Repurposing: AI excels in transforming existing content into different formats, like converting a list into a blog post or a blog into a script. This minimizes the editing work required.
• Efficiency in Post Creation: AI has been particularly effective in generating social media or Google posts, reducing the time and mental effort involved in content creation. This includes automating tasks like emoji placement in posts.

 How Local SEO agencies explain AI to their clients:

• AI in Client Communication: Both Sterling Sky and Whitesoark  are transparent with clients about their AI usage, addressing concerns about potential negative impacts on SEO performance. AI is presented as a tool for idea generation and preliminary drafting, not as a primary content creator.
• Client Engagement with AI: Clients are generally receptive and interested in AI's role in content creation. The emphasis is on AI as an assistant that complements human skills, ensuring quality and originality in content.
• Cost Implications: There have been no significant shifts in pricing structures due to AI efficiencies. The focus is on using AI to maintain or reduce costs rather than altering client fees.

 Local SEO Agencies & their AI future:

• AI as a reporting super power: extracting meaningful insights from large data sets for clients.
• Long-Term Impact on Staffing and Skills: Agencies do not foresee AI replacing human staff. Instead, AI is viewed as a tool that enhances staff capabilities. Concerns about AI causing dependency or de-skilling are noted, but the overall sentiment is optimistic.
• Future of AI in Local SEO: AI is expected to lead to more efficient workflows and better quality content. Agencies anticipate a growing divide between those heavily reliant on AI and those favoring a balanced, human-centric approach. AI's role in data analysis and automating repetitive tasks is highlighted, enhancing both client service and internal processes.

ChatGPT's Review Insights

• Experiences and opinions on the use of AI tools like ChatGPT in SEO and content creation.
• The effectiveness of AI in different aspects of agency work, including creative tasks and data analysis.
• The influence of AI on the quality of content and the evolving nature of SEO strategies.
• Perspectives on the future impact of AI

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Seattle surgeon pays $5 mil fine for review fraud; What responsibility does Google have?

Allure Esthetics and its owner Dr. Java Sagan, were convicted of violating the Consumer Review Fairness Act. They forced 21,000 clients to sign agreements preventing them from leaving honest reviews and engaged in additional deceptive practices like paying for the removal of negative reviews and posting fake ones.

Despite a $5 million fine, Allure Esthetics still shows high ratings on Google and Yelp. Google’s failure to address these fake reviews, raises questions about the platform’s responsibility under Section 230, which currently shields it from liability.

This case highlights the need for changes to Section 230 to better protect consumers and maintain trust in online reviews.

Local Search increasingly shows Google GBP results & extensively highlight Google self preferencing 

In a recent AI-driven experiment the local results included numerous horizontally scrolling pack of restaurant types and related local categories, with images and reviews. Most all results in this test took users to further Google searches rather than external sites

In Europe, current local search results showed significantly more Google self-referencing content, raising questions about regulatory compliance. The variations in local search displays across different European countries, suggests that Google's approach might be influenced by regional regulatory strategies.

Despite the heavy Google-centric content, local businesses still benefited from visibility. However, the trend of zero-click searches, where users find all needed information without leaving Google, highlights the increasing prominence of Google's own services in local search outcomes.
The Near Memo is a weekly conversation about Search, Social, and Commerce: What happened, why it matters, and the implications for local businesses and national brands.
Ep 165

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