??Your Local SEO & Ads Weekly Marketing Minute!

I'm back with another edition of Marketing Minute for you to explore this week's best handpicked Local SEO & Ads insights and news.

Let's Get into It

The local search game is heating up! Here's your need-to-know for the week of Feb 28th - March 7th:

• Google Maps & AI: BFFs Forever? Google Maps rolled out AI-infused features for more personalized business recommendations. This means your listing's visibility is going to rely even more on great reviews and user engagement.
• Get Verified, or Get Out? Google is updating the verification process for Local Services Ads. Stricter vetting of businesses is on the menu, aiming to protect consumers. Time to double-check that your business info is on point!

• Review Wars Escalate: Competitors leaving fake negative reviews? Google's testing a new way to report suspicious ones. Keep your eyes peeled on your reviews tab!
• Local PPC Gets Pricier: Word on the street is that cost-per-click for local ads is going up in some areas. Time to double-check your bids and budgets.

Other Buzzworthy Tidbits

• Yelp rolls out new 'Request a Quote' features, streamlining lead generation for local businesses.
• 'Near Me' Searches keep climbing across the board. Make sure your "location" game is strong!

Your Playbook

1. Visuals, Visuals, Visuals: Start prepping photos and videos to make your GBP profile pop.
2. Monitor & Report: Keep a close eye on those reviews. If you see any shady activity, use that new reporting feature!
3. Budget Watch: Review your local PPC campaigns, and be ready to adjust bids if necessary.

- Justin @YEAH! Local

Google March 2024 Core Update Rolling Out - It's A Big Core Update

Google announced the March 2024 core update has now started to roll out and that this core update will take up to a month to fully roll out because it has updates to a few systems within the core ranking system.

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Justin's ToolBox

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Local Consumer Review Survey 2024: Trends, Behaviors, and Platforms Explored

How are today’s consumers searching for and interacting with business reviews? Which review elements are most important to consumers, and how do online reviews measure up against personal recommendations?

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Why Local Searchers Look to the Local Finder

On average, 26% of desktop and 36% of mobile users clicked into the Local Finder at least once during their search journeys.

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Google Local Pack: The Ultimate Guide for Better Local Rankings

How likely is a user to pick the first businesses shown in the Google local pack. Probably pretty likely. This is why the Google local pack is such a valuable resource for businesses and consumers alike.

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Why Does One of Your Business Locations Outrank Another in the Google Maps Results?

This post is simple: to help you narrow down the list of possible causes, so you can make your weakest location more visible and bountiful.

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