Convicted Dr. Sajan and his Seattle plastic surgery clinic don't just rank highly in the 3-Pack, they often rank first for money phrases such as "best plastic surgeon."

It's too easy for anyone to change a Google Business Profile listing. We are now seeing it happening to schools around the world as the 'Hawk Tuah' meme takes hold.

We did the math so you don't have to.

When confronted by the media about fraud and local listings scams, Google's PR machine trots out a familiar playbook and canned messaging.

The new rule will make it easer to go after and punish egregious offenders but many players in the "fake review economy" will still fall under the radar.

In the UK & EU and perhaps other EMEA countries, Local Services Ad accounts must now be connected to a Google Business Profile and LSA reviews are being replaced by GBP reviews.

It's taking longer for Google to address bugs, often with very real consequences for local businesses.

Google local SERPs are becoming a festival of "self-preferencing."

GBP Chat's rise and fall is an example of Google's approach to local product development, which often hurts small developers and innovation more generally.

Google and Yelp allowed fake reviews of unethical plastic surgeon to remain up for 18 months, causing damage to thousands of people.

Twin Pack, 3-Pack, 5-Pack, InfiniPack, Quad Pack; local results are expanding. And it could be more impactful than AI Overviews at driving Zero-click behaviors.

Everything seems up for grabs these days on Google. Check out this 100% local graph results SERP.

A UK notification suggests that LSA reviews are going to be "unified" with Google Business Profile reviews in July.

A federal judge found Allure Esthetic wrongly prevented patients from posting negative reviews with illegal NDAs.

The appearance of a second Local Pack in the EU seems to fly in the face of the Digital Market Act's anti-self-preferencing rules.

Google Posts have declined in visibility. Social posts on your GBP could replace them, extending their reach. But there's a lot we still don't know yet.

How long the review ban will last has come up a number of times in the forums, with no official Google confirmation of the ban or when it might end.

The potential for AI in Google Maps is huge. However, while interesting, the results so far are unimpressive.

It has become increasingly clear to those on the front lines that Google's singular focus is on increasing revenue at all costs.

Google has made various changes to local SERPs to comply with the DMA. But most of them don't really benefit publishers or users.

This eye-opening interview with Zachary Dotson, an experienced HVAC marketer, sheds light on a rampant scam in Google LSAs and its impact on legitimate businesses. He exposes the challenges in tackling these scams and the lack of response from the authorities and Google.

Google's brand credibility and its 'Google Guarantee' are enabling LSA scammers. And neither the police nor Google seem to care. Hear a victim’s account.

Google has seen every type of spam and scam in local, yet they've now infiltrated Local Services Ads, which carry a Google "guarantee." This makes Google complicit in deceiving the public.

The findings highlight the importance of reviews in a wider range of business categories than we previously suspected and the need for tailored strategies based on category and location.

The seemingly new Google Ambassador program holds out the promise of better support. But that's probably an illusion.

Google has not been clear about why it rejects GBP images. A new support form offers hope to get them posted.

The best time to ask for reviews isn't the next day; it may be more than a week after the transaction according to new research.

Google created a new form and process to request reinstatement of missing reviews. It's a step in the right direction but still too complicated for most business owners.

Google's rejection of images is a black box that often can't be penetrated. Zen-like patience is required. Maps can also be a workaround.

There are many reasons you might see the "your business is not visible" message. But Google isn't going to tell you why.

Fake review attacks are an ongoing and serious problem. Google makes it difficult to get them removed but with inside knowledge and determination it is possible.

Google's motto appears to be "release buggy products and externalize their costs."

Apple Business Connect now offers insights into traffic and conversions. In some categories it will outpace both Facebook and Yelp as a source for conversions & new business.

Removal of reviews is apparently influenced by business category, age of the GBP, review solicitation, review velocity and whether the reviewer actually visited the business.

With Google's new AI-driven review filter, you're going to lose some reviews. Here's how to navigate the new system without going crazy.

Make sure you know your GBP CID numbers and have backups of your reviews; you'll need them sooner or later.

Google is placing increasing emphasis on visual search. This presentation talks about how to scale a photographic effort for multiple locations.

Google has shut down new reviews for Planned Parenthood and other reproductive healthcare businesses. The action raises a number of unanswered questions.

What would Google local search results look like if Google couldn't put the Local 3-Pack at the top of search results? A recently discovered test may give us a clue.

Legitimate reviews appear to be collateral damage from a stepped up Google effort to address review spam.

Every holiday or cultural event now is embraced as a marketing opportunity. But brands risk being seen as inauthentic or hypocritical if all they do is talk and don't walk the walk.

The specific steps should you be taking now, using high-quality images to improve conversions and how to future-proof your location(s) for Visual Search.

With advanced image recognition provided by their Cloud Vision AI, Google has made images more relevant to search intent.

One of the trends in Local has been Google's increasing use of images in search results. Google has expanded the space devoted to images, increased the number of images and enlarged their size. In Part 2 & 3 we will look at its impact on SEO.

Google is putting increasing emphasis on local product inventory search as it tries to better compete with Amazon.

Google now explicitly states that in-store product availability is a local ranking factor in its own Google Business Profile documentation.

Trust in reviews has been declining since 2017, but consumers still rely on them to make decisions. Businesses must adapt review strategies and embrace the negative review.

Google was gaining reviews until 2017. Then everything slowed way down.

We got a copy of the heavily redacted complaint, which contains numerous claims of misrepresentations to SMBs.

Google has been working steadily for at least a decade toward real-time product inventory in local search results.

The FTC filed a complaint against HomeAdvisor, saying the company overcharged SMBs and misrepresented leads, and the "likelihood they would result in actual jobs," since 2014.

Yelp made structural changes during COVID that improved performance, but there are major obstacles to growth going forward.

Feeling nervous, Google is intensifying its anti-antitrust campaign, lobbying SMBs to "take action" and automating their emails.

Ten review management platforms were put on notice by the FTC. Here they are and what got them into trouble.

The FTC's guidance for review platforms is sweeping. But enforcement will be selective and "closed platforms" are the most likely targets.

The FTC's new guidelines simplify many things about review solicitation and moderation, but other areas are now murkier.

Google allowed a fake reviews company to snatch its old Facebook URL.

The agency signaled it's going to get tough on brands and platforms that engage in review manipulation.

Apple is just getting started with its push into local business discovery and monetization for Apple Maps. AR is also in its future.

Apple's many recent updates to Maps to improve business discovery and transactions points to long term trend towards both building out Maps and integrating it in the future world of AR.

Google, in an effort to regain control of the antitrust narrative, has brazenly and deceptively enlisted small businesses to argue the company's case.

The FTC is trying to lay the groundwork for substantial fines against high-profile violators of its endorsement and review guidelines.

Reviews can provide an independent look at management issues and consumer trends at large multi-location chains. This 'proof of concept' approach explores Walmart's inventory woes through the lens of local store reviews.

Apple has released the ability to review most businesses in the US. It is fast, easy and hard to spam. Learn the what's, why's and wherefores of this significant new review platform.

Whether through incompetence or egregious self-interest, Google has allowed companies like Kelly Forklift to continue to perpetrate customer deception and highlight themselves in search results.

A newly invigorated FTC is taking a much more activist position on a range of issues, potentially including local.

In the past, image search optimization was complicated and returns were minimal for local businesses. That's all starting to change.

Google critics argue the company's search monopoly harmed Yelp. A closer look reveals a more complex story with missed opportunities.

As official mask mandates lift, our survey shows many consumers are still anxious. That puts a challenging burden on local business owners.

Google owns the local review economy. It wasn't always that way. Here's how it happened.

In Amazon's efficiencies and ruthlessness we see all of the contradictions of American commerce and culture.

Google is rapidly building out front and back end capabilities to improve integration with restaurant food ordering and to control many parts of the process, while minimizing costs and extracting some rent.

Rebecca Slaughter, the acting Chair of the FTC, disdains fake reviews and has elevated rulemaking at the FTC to do something about it.

Early last week Google finally updated Maps for iOS and its attendant privacy label. As you suspected, Google is collecting a lot of personal data.

* The majority of consumers clearly support strict masking enforcement and prefer businesses that do this. Women and older consumers are most supportive. * A meaningful anti-mask minority creates a dilemma for

Like all Google releases it generated massive press. We cast our penetrating 'Kreminologist’s' eye on its many details.