Meta Has Made Child Exploitation a Cost of Doing Business Meta has not only survived multiple scandals, its advertising revenue continues to creep up.

In one of a long line of egregious abuses of our society (massive privacy abuses, knowingly profiting from scams and algos that cause self harm), FB is once again in the news. And how do CMOs and marketers respond?

Q: why did marketers abandon Twitter but not Meta?

www.adweek.com/social-marke...

This is a conversation that shouldn’t be missed

Keywords Are Dead. Intent + Reviews Win. YouTube video by Near Media

Steve Wiideman: why keywords are not the foundation of your strategy & what matters now

👉 shift:
• Keywords → Intent
• Content → Real user behavior

Use search data + reviews to build content based on what people actually ask—not what tools suggest

youtube.com/shorts/su6_w...

AI search is rewarding something familiar:
hyper-local, intent-driven pages

For multi-location brands, this isn’t a new tactic—
it’s an under-leveraged asset now driving visibility in ChatGPT

We interviewed Steve Wiideman on strategies and tactics for local success of multi-location brands

EP 249 - Why Multi-Location SEO Is So Hard (And What Actually Works) Part 1 Multi-location SEO isn’t about tactics—it’s about execution. This episode, with Steve Wiideman, breaks down the real challenges brands face, from internal friction to content strategy, reviews, and sh...

You can can catch part one of the interview with Steve Wiideman on strategies and tactics for multi-location local brands on YouTube, your favorite podcast channel or on our website
www.nearmedia.co/ep-249-why-m...

AI search is rewarding something familiar:
hyper-local, intent-driven pages

For multi-location brands, this isn’t a new tactic—
it’s an under-leveraged asset now driving visibility in ChatGPT

We interviewed Steve Wiideman on strategies and tactics for local success of multi-location brands

Will ads denigrate the Apple brand?

Steve Jobs wasn't against the concept of advertising, but he was famously harsh about ads he found uninspired, intrusive, or lacking "emotion."

Will Apple ads in Maps be helpful or intrusive for consumers? Will they help or hurt Apple's image?

Does anyone under 65 get the visual reference here?

EP 249 - Why Multi-Location SEO Is So Hard (And What Actually Works) Part 1 Multi-location SEO is less about algorithms and more about execution inside complex organizations. In this episode, the team explores how brands struggle with internal alignment, why testing beats tactics, how reviews and imagery drive visibility, and how search behavior is shifting toward long-tail and conversational queries. Interested in sponsoring this podcast or our newsletters please reach out to mblumenthal@nearmedia.co E-mail Mike ### **The Podcast Deets** ### **Segment 1 (** 00:00 – 07:30**)** **Foundations & The Scientific Approach to SEO** Steve Wiedemann outlines his background and approach to SEO as a discipline rooted in testing and experimentation. The conversation highlights the difficulty of documenting SEO due to constant change and the need to rely on fundamentals. ### **Segment 2 (** 07:30 – 17:00**)** **Why Multi-Location SEO Breaks Down** The group explores the real challenges of scaling SEO across large brands—organizational friction, legal constraints, dev bottlenecks, and franchise complexity. Education and alignment emerge as the biggest barriers. ### **Segment 3 (** 17:00 – 25:30**)** **What Actually Drives Performance: Content, Reviews & Behavior** The discussion shifts to practical execution: imagery, user-generated content, reviews, and long-tail queries. They highlight how real-world customer behavior—not keywords—should drive strategy. ### **Key Takeaways** * Multi-location SEO is primarily an **organizational challenge** * Testing beats tactics—always * Reviews and imagery are **core ranking + conversion signals** * Franchisee participation is low—but highly impactful when it happens * Long-tail and conversational queries are increasing * SEO success requires **consistent execution, not hacks** **👇 Watch by topic:** 00:00 Intro & Steve Wiedemann background 02:30 Why SEO is hard to “teach” (and constantly changing) 05:00 The scientific approach to SEO testing 07:30 Biggest multi-location SEO challenges 12:40 Photography, reviews & user-generated content 17:00 Getting franchisees to actually take action 20:10 Common SEO mistakes brands make 22:00 Long-tail search behavior & menu-driven queries 25:30 The shift toward conversational search ### Related Links Steve Wiideman“SEO STEVE” WIIDEMAN WEANS BUSINESSES AWAY FROM OLD-SCHOOL AGENCIES WITH A REVOLUTIONARY, SELF-EMPOWERING SEO ROADMAP Specializing In Strategic Planning For Multi-Location And Franchise Brands, Wiideman Consulting Group Founder Has Created Powerful Key Strategies for SKECHERS, Public Storage and Linksys Steve Wiideman is a big believer in a famous quote by Jim Rohn, the influential entrepreneur, […]Wiideman Consulting GroupBooksWe offer high-end search engine optimization strategy, consulting, training, and guidance, with core competencies in multi-location and e-commerce SEO & SEM.WiidemanRyan Jones - Detroit SEORyan JonesRyan Jones on Search Engine Journal Sign up for our new Legal Marketing Newsletter. Once a month, no fluff, just good ideas. Sign Up ### **Full Transcript** of the Near Memo –> on-line

Multi-location SEO isn’t about tactics—it’s about execution. This episode, with Steve Wiideman, breaks down the real challenges brands face, from internal friction to content strategy, reviews, and shifting search behavior. Plus: what AI means (and doesn’t).

EP 248 - State of Google Business Profile 2026: Impressions Are Down 54%—But Actions Aren’t with Adam Dorfman New data shows Google Business Profile impressions are down 54%—but conversions haven’t followed. Here’s what AI, Maps, and changing search behavior really mean for local businesses and marketers.

New Episode of the Near Memo

www.nearmedia.co/ep-248-state...

EP 245 - AI, Strong-Arm Tactics & a Shifting Review Landscape Are Reshaping Local Search Episode 245 examines Google’s expanding AI integration into local search, evidence that LSAs — not AI Overviews — are draining clicks, new restrictions on scraping review data, and new data from Yelp and Bright Local showing emerging consumer frustration with review fraud. The episode explores how trust, monetization, and AI personalization are reshaping local marketing. Interested in sponsoring this podcast or our newsletters please reach out to mblumenthal@nearmedia.co E-mail Mike ### **The Podcast Deets** ### **1️⃣ Google AI & Click Economics (00:00–14:00)** Google is replacing structured GBP data with AI-generated summaries, nudging users into AI Mode, and expanding monetization pathways. Aleyda Solis’ study and Near Media research show ads — especially LSAs — are siphoning clicks. ### **2️⃣ Data Moats & Scraping Crackdowns (14:00–22:00)** Google restricts scraping, disrupting SerpAPI. The move reinforces Google’s data advantage against ChatGPT and Perplexity while signaling an increasingly closed ecosystem. ### **3️⃣ Reviews, Inflation & Consumer Backlash (22:00–36:00)** Yelp’s Trust Report and BrightLocal’s 2026 study show persistent fraud, rising consumer anger, review inflation in legal, and AI becoming the third source of recommendations. ### **Key Takeaways** * Google is integrating more AI in the Local Brand Panels * LSAs are the real click siphon — not AI Overviews. * Google is tightening control over review data. * Review inflation is undermining trust. * Consumers want harsher penalties for fraud. * AI search is increasing awareness but not eliminating click behavior. * Local marketers must diversify trust signals beyond Google. ### **👇 Watch by topic:** [ 00:00](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Fobx3u0Vk_0) Introduction & Episode Overview 01:30 Google Replacing GBP Content with AI 08:30 AI Mode & Monetization Signals 10:30 Are AI Overviews Killing Clicks? 14:00 LSAs as the Real Click Drain 16:00 Google Blocking Review Scraping 19:00 Yelp Trust & Safety Report 22:00 BrightLocal 2026 Review Survey 25:00 Consumer Anger Over Review Fraud 27:00 Legal Vertical Review Inflation 31:00 AI as the Third Source of Recommendations 35:00 Multi-Platform Validation Behavior 36:00 Final Thoughts ### **Related Links** Google Maps ‘limited view’ was hiding reviews, images for signed-out users U: Fixed]Google Maps is more than just a navigation app, as it contains a treasure trove of data about locations across…9to5GoogleBen Schoon[[Google Maps Reviews API] Low success rateSerpApi’s Status Page - [Google Maps Reviews API] Low success rate.[Google Maps Reviews API] Low success rate **Search Isn’t Just Turning to AI, it’s being Re-Monetized: Text Ads Are Taking a Bigger Share of Google SERP Clicks** **2025 Yelp Trust & Safety Report****** **Local Consumer Review Survey 2026: Star Ratings Keep Rising, Old Reviews Don’t Cut It** Sign up for our new Legal Marketing Newsletter. Once a month, no fluff, just good ideas. Sign Up ### **Full Transcript -- > ****On-line**

Google is replacing GBP data with AI summaries, ads are siphoning clicks, review fraud is rising, and scraping is being blocked. Here’s what it means for local search, LSAs, and the future of trust in 2026.

@gruber.foo not sure if you saw this: thelocalstack.eu/posts/linked...

EP 244 - AI Visibility vs Google Rankings: Rand Fishkin on the Future of Search, Zero-Click & Brand Measurement Rand Fishkin joins Near Memo to unpack AI visibility tracking, zero-click search, collapsing attribution models, and where brands should focus in 2026. A must-listen for marketers navigating AI’s impa...

The full episode is available on our website, YouTube and your favorite podcast app
www.nearmedia.co/ep-244-ai-vi...

Zero-click search is growing fast—that doesn’t mean sales are gone

It doesn’t kill sales-It changes who owns the click

“Commerce isn’t ending: it’s relocating”
Discovery & attention are shifting off yr site & to platforms you don’t control

“don’t build on rented land” may no longer be good advice

EP 244 - AI Visibility vs Google Rankings: Rand Fishkin on the Future of Search, Zero-Click & Brand Measurement Rand Fishkin joins Near Memo to unpack AI visibility tracking, zero-click search, collapsing attribution models, and where brands should focus in 2026. A must-listen for marketers navigating AI’s impa...

Podcast page (includes the full episode + links + transcript): nearmedia.co/ep-244-ai-vi...

AI Visibility vs Google Ranking: Rand Fishkin & the Future of Search, Zero Click & Brand Measurement YouTube video by Near Media

AI SEO “rank tracking”? 🚫
@randfish.bsky.social: one AI answer is noise; with enough runs you can measure brand presence % (share of responses mentioning you) + track weekly.

Full Near Memo pod + YouTube w/ David Mihm, Mike Blumenthal & Greg Sterling: youtu.be/o_5oc-O1B8k

#AISEO #SEO

Winning in 2026 Reviews Ai and the New Rules of Search Near Media’s new user-behavior research reveals what prospects really do before they click—how trust forms, reviews sway decisions, and AI is reshaping local search. Join us for actionable insights to...

Join @mikeblumenthal.bsky.social @davidmihm.bsky.social and me next Tuesday (Feb 24) for a webinar on our latest behavioral research: Winning in 2026: Reviews, AI, and the New Rules of Search. go.gatherup.com/winning-in-2...

This was a great conversation. If you are interested in LSAs this is part two of a convo you shouldn’t miss

Last week on the Near Memo we interviewed Eric Levine, ex - Googler Product Director of LSAs. In P1, he shared lots of great LSA tips like this one where he explains who shouldn’t use them.

Available on NearMedia.co, YouTube and your favorite podcast platform

Maybe we should start calling this the paid local pack?

Yes. Been multiple reports of delays

AI vs Human Content, Missing Google Reviews & the Evolution of Q&A | E16 The Whitespark Local Update YouTube video by Whitespark

Missing Google reviews are becoming a real problem for many businesses. So I asked one of the smartest people I know what’s really going on.

Watch the new episode now with THE @mikeblumenthal.bsky.social. A gift to you before we log off for the holidays. We’ll be back in January. Happy holidays 🎄

EP 231 - Local Search in the Age of AI: Darren Shaw on the 2026 Ranking Factors Darren Shaw joins Near Media to discuss the 2026 Local Search Ranking Factors report — revealing how AI search, reviews, and behavioral signals are reshaping local SEO. Discover what really drives vis...

Join @nearmedia.bsky.social with @davidmihm.bsky.social, @gsterling.bsky.social as we pick Darren Shaw of @whitespark.ca 's brain about the ins and the outs of the 2026 Local Search Ranking Survey.

www.nearmedia.co/ep-231-local...

Caption this

Caption this

EP 227 - Inside Uberall’s Local AI Shift: From Culture Shift to Client Tools; Interview with Ana Martinez -- Part 1 Uberall CTO Ana Martinez explains how AI is reshaping culture, products, and customer engagement in their Location Management tools—from rethinking roles and workflows to launching UB-I and the Locati...

Great new interview with me and @mikeblumenthal.bsky.social talking to Ana Martinez, CTO of Uberall on their experience integrating AI more deeply into the company's workflows and customer-facing products. Part 1 of 2. www.nearmedia.co/ep-227-insid...

I am so anxious to get and use my Meta glasses, for this very reason.

simonwillison.net/2025/Sep/23/...

Local Marketing Attribution in the AI Age - Analytics vs. Customer Survey: Which Can Data You Trust? YouTube video by Near Media

Local Marketing Attribution in the AI Age - Analytics vs. Customer Survey: Which Can Data You Trust?

A snippet from our Near Media members office hours

youtube.com/shorts/WETIl...