How much will privacy regulation disrupt the local search market in 2018?

Columnist Wesley Young covers a growing storm of events that are likely to culminate in substantial regulatory change and analyzes the impact that can have on the local search industry.

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Negative reviews from ex-employees are finally against Google’s guidelines

Google recently updated its review policies to clarify that reviews left by former employees are considered to be in violation of its guidelines. Columnist Joy Hawkins explains that this was (unfortunately) necessary.

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Mind your business: Our top local search columns of 2017

Search Engine Land’s most widely read local search columns from 2017 covered a wide range of topics, from algorithm updates and new Google My Business features to Facebook’s local search capabilities.

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How independent reviews influence Google’s trust in your brand

Cultivating user reviews is an integral part of any search strategy, especially for local businesses. Columnist Pratik Dholakiya discusses the impact of reviews and provides tips for where to focus your efforts.

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3 inconsistencies in Yelp’s review solicitation crackdown

Yelp has taken a hard line against review solicitation, but columnist Brian Patterson believes the company may be taking it too far.

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5 local search tactics your competitors probably aren’t using

When you and your competitors are all adhering to local SEO best practices, how can you differentiate your business from the rest? Columnist Sherry Bonelli has some ideas.

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Google brings local lead generation to Google Assistant and Google Home

The company taps HomeAdvisor and Porch to provide local contractors through a multistep voice-driven interaction.

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Law firms spamming Google My Business: Don’t trust your money or your life to them!

Many local businesses are guilty of violating Google My Business guidelines to game the system, and columnist Joy Hawkins has observed rampant problems within the law vertical.

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Google’s new #SmallThanks Hub automatically creates digital & printed marketing assets for SMBs

Using content pulled from Google reviews, businesses with verified Google listings can create posters, social media posts, window clings, stickers and more.

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Where to go next with your Google My Business listing

So, you’ve set up your Google My Business listing but still aren’t seeing results. What’s the next step? Columnist Brian Smith lays out some suggestions to further optimize your listing for better local search visibility.

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Understanding the interplay of SEO and a 5-star reputation

How do online reviews impact search visibility, and what can you do to improve your online reputation? Columnist Stephan Spencer addresses these questions and more.

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