532 | Local Search Volatility and Google Accountability

EDGE of the Web - The Best SEO Podcast for Today's Digital Marketer

Sep 20 2022 • 33 mins

Mike Blumenthal, “Professor Maps” of the Local SEO community, catches up with the EDGE after some time to lay out the volatility he’s seen in local search. Mike’s been focused on the Google Business Profile forums and has seen some pretty striking and concerning developments. Witnessing around 200 review take-downs and close to 2,000 business profile suspensions per month, Mike’s a bit concerned to say the least.

Where is Google’s accountability and transparency in responding to these issues? There’s no mechanism to challenge the decision on the review take-downs.

The value of Local Search positioning and consumer interaction is unquestionable. But one question does present itself: who’s property is this, yours or Google’s?

[00:05:59] So Many Changes in Local SEO - The Last Few Years

[00:08:20] Local SEO Volatility: A Recent Timeline

[00:09:47] Google Sees Their Future as Local

[00:12:16] How Valuable is Google Local Search? Sometimes 95% of Leads

[00:14:07] EDGE of the Web Title Sponsor: edgeofthewebradio.com/pageonepower

[00:17:11] The Consumer is Trained on Google Reflection of your Brand

[00:18:09] Hunting in GBP Forums with a Specific Focus

[00:21:39] There’s No Support from Google, Once They Nuke a Review

[00:22:51] EDGE of the Web Sponsor: Site Strategics

[00:24:34] Are We Just Going to Just Publish to Google in the Future?

[00:25:49] Is This Our Property or Google’s?

[00:28:28] Business Suspensions Complaints are 10X