Analysis Google to Permanently Allow Chains the Ability Create Posts via API Google has decided that chains will be able to create Google Posts via the API on an on-going basis. This feature will not disappear once Covid abates as was previously noted in the GMB API documentation.
Analysis The High Cost of Fake Reviews 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.
Analysis Change Is Afoot at the Newly Revitalized FTC A newly invigorated FTC is taking a much more activist position on a range of issues, potentially including local.
Analysis Local Listings Domino Theory Four years after Yext went public, market consolidation finally appears to be happening in the local listings management space.
Analysis Google's Online Food Ordering Is Magical, and the Future of Local Search Google's online ordering test offers a highly streamlined process that is so smooth you realize the future is here, and it is now.
Analysis How Local Delivery Stops App Giants From Eating Restaurants’ Lunch Corporate delivery apps are gouging restaurants but emerging local options offer a more sustainable future.
Analysis How Google Supports Pride Despite several missteps along the way, Google has evolved from tentative to very strong support of LGBTQ+ communities.
Conversations Resisting Amazon: An Interview with Author and Bookstore Owner, Danny Caine Local businesses must tell their stories and build community, then explain: "Amazon puts all that at risk."
Analysis Image Packs and the Localization of Google Product Search In the past, image search optimization was complicated and returns were minimal for local businesses. That's all starting to change.
Analysis Confessions of a Google Local Guide Google incentivizes quantity over quality with user-generated content. Local businesses should take control of their profile images or be at the mercy of the UGC hordes.
Analysis What Happened to Yelp: A Hospitality Reviews Case Study Google critics argue the company's search monopoly harmed Yelp. A closer look reveals a more complex story with missed opportunities.
Analysis Mask Mandates Are Going Away, COVID Anxiety Isn't As official mask mandates lift, our survey shows many consumers are still anxious. That puts a challenging burden on local business owners.
Analysis Google Empowers Users, Creates New Headaches for Businesses Google is helping local businesses by encouraging more user-generated content. In theory this is good. But more content does not always mean more high-quality content.
Analysis How Google Came to Dominate Local Reviews Google owns the local review economy. It wasn't always that way. Here's how it happened.
Conversations Near Media April Analysis and Podcasts In addition to our thrice-weekly newsletter we're publishing in-depth analysis and a weekly podcast (the Near Memo). This month we added articles from Adam Dorfman, Chris Silver Smith, Mike Blumenthal
Analysis Amazon's Ruthless Efficiencies In Amazon's efficiencies and ruthlessness we see all of the contradictions of American commerce and culture.
Analysis Reputation Management Industry Revenue to Double By 2029 A new report on the Online Reputation Management industry predicts that growth for North America will more than double between now and 2029.
Analysis Google Expands Restaurant Online Order Integration 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.
Analysis FTC to Speed Rulemaking to Fight Digital Deception Rebecca Slaughter, the acting Chair of the FTC, disdains fake reviews and has elevated rulemaking at the FTC to do something about it.
Analysis Google Maps Privacy Nutrition Label 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.
Analysis Travel and Eating Out Are What Americans Have Been Missing Most Survey findings tell us consumers are more eager to resume some pre-COVID activities than others.
Analysis Why Businesses Need to Tell Visual Stories with Their Employees In this era of visual storytelling, employee information and images are a way to build trust and humanize your brand.
Analysis Google Announces Curbside Pickup, Indoor Live View for Maps Using its many technical and content assets, Google Maps is positioning itself as the digital UI for the real world and at the center of the online-to-offline economy.
Analysis Why Chat Matters to Google Google’s blueprint for evolving its products for businesses is to read consumer behavior and revise its business tools accordingly. One important example is how Google is evolving its online chat functionality for businesses.
Analysis Data: As States Reopen, Local Businesses Grapple with Mask Dilemma 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
Analysis Deconstructing Google’s Local Guides and Photo Updates Post Like all Google releases it generated massive press. We cast our penetrating 'Kreminologist’s' eye on its many details.
Analysis Google Surfaces Small Business E-Commerce Sites in Local Results A new "online stores" card started appearing in some mobile search results, offering a mix of SMB e-commerce and national brands that sell locally.
