Each week, Greg and Ben answer your questions on digital marketing for local businesses … local search engine optimization (SEO), Google Business Profile, social media, email marketing, websites, online advertising and more.

Updates and Questions

• Bug causes knowledge panel to go missing on GBP.
• What should I do if a former employee hijacks my GBP and makes changes?
• How do I make sure I show up in local AI search?
• What are some best practices for local heat map software or competitor analysis?
• How do I get access to a GBP?
• Do hotels and villas qualify for a GBP?
• Are GBP Activities similar to GBP Posts?

Links mentioned in this session are available on our website at https://localmarketinginstitute.com

Each week, Greg and Ben answer your questions on digital marketing for local businesses … local search engine optimization (SEO), Google Business Profile, social media, email marketing, websites, online advertising and more.

Updates and Questions

• AI analysis for GBP reviews in Google Chrome.
• Google sends information edit rejection notices for GBP.
• Google tests replacing local map pack with AI overview.
• Can you get positive reviews from a community event if they didn’t do business with you?
• Why did my GBP get unverified when I changed the primary category?
• Are certain industries harder to get approved by Google for an SAB in a residential address?
• Is it important that customers don’t leave reviews while connected to the location’s wifi?
• Can I get a suspension turned over with only one document?
• How do I use AI, and what tools should I use?
• Why are reviews not showing up in my GBP?

Links mentioned in this session are available on our website at https://localmarketinginstitute.com

Each week, Greg and Ben answer your questions on digital marketing for local businesses … local search engine optimization (SEO), Google Business Profile, social media, email marketing, websites, online advertising and more.

Updates and Questions

• Reviews for schools are going away.
• Q&A feature is being removed.
• Meta keywords impact ranking!?
• What should I do if my Phone number verification code won’t go through?
• How do I know why my verification was taken away if Google won’t tell me?
• If I’ve switched from brick and mortar to service area business, is it safe to hide my address on my GBP?
• How can you tell if a review is not within guidelines?
• How do I get reviews to show up on my GBP?
• Is reverification being triggered because of making changes on a new account?
• How do I get hours to show for another department without having to click on “more hours”?
• Is there a fix for things showing up as obsolete when requesting access through the agency dashboard?
• How do I create a successful GBP post?

Links mentioned in this session are available on our website at https://localmarketinginstitute.com

Each week, Greg and Ben answer your questions on digital marketing for local businesses … local search engine optimization (SEO), Google Business Profile, social media, email marketing, websites, online advertising and more.

Updates and Questions

• Google sues for fake listings.
• What should I do if my video verification doesn’t go through?
• Does adding the address to the website footer help with rankings?
• How do I remove spam reviews from my GBP?
• Why won’t GBP let me add a website?
• What should I do if I’ve been suspended and my appeals have been denied?

Links mentioned in this session are available on our website at https://localmarketinginstitute.com

Each week, Greg and Ben answer your questions on digital marketing for local businesses … local search engine optimization (SEO), Google Business Profile, social media, email marketing, websites, online advertising and more.

Updates and Questions

• Google Map pin attacks exploit has finally been fixed.
• Chat through Text and WhatsApp has been implemented into GBP.
• China rolls out DeepSeek AI chatbot.
• New fast way to get access request for SABs in Google Maps.
• Google search launches “Ask for me” AI that calls businesses for you.
• What is the new chat feature?
• How do I remove spam reviews from my GBP?
• What should I do if my reinstatement appeal has been rejected multiple times?
• If I’m closing one location, is it possible to merge the profile of the closing location with the other in order to keep the reviews?
• Can I verify a GBP if the location is at a residential sober living home without signage?
• Why is my GBP not showing up in search results?
• How can I shift my business into a new name and category without getting suspended?
• How does the new “Ask for me” AI work?
• Does adding backlinks to the schema "sameAs" code work?
• Should I link to my GBP from my blog?
• Are there resources for the process of uploading internal 360 virtual tours to GBP?

Links mentioned in this session are available on our website at https://localmarketinginstitute.com

Each week, Greg and Ben answer your questions on digital marketing for local businesses … local search engine optimization (SEO), Google Business Profile, social media, email marketing, websites, online advertising and more.

Updates and Questions

• Can the issues of one GBP cause problems by association if it’s on an agency dashboard?
• If I’m closing one location, is it possible to merge the profile of the closing location with the other in order to keep the reviews?
• What should I do if I can’t find a GBP listing because the owner deactivated the email account attached to it?
• Is there a way to do bulk verifications?
• What tools are good for managing lots of clients?
• Can I have two listings at the same address with the same category if I have separate signage, phone numbers and staff?

Links mentioned in this session are available on our website at https://localmarketinginstitute.com

Each week, Greg and Ben answer your questions on digital marketing for local businesses … local search engine optimization (SEO), Google Business Profile, social media, email marketing, websites, online advertising and more.

Updates and Questions

• GBP car dealer map pack study released on searchlab digital.
• If I can’t get reinstated after appealing, is there no other option than to create a new listing and merge it?
• How should I document reviews to submit to Google if there happens to be a problem?
• How do I get rid of a duplicate listing that is unclaimed and unverified?
• Will creating a better bureau listing for a GBP help with visibility?
• Should I register a new suite number for a building with multiple GBPs at the same suite number?
• How do I move reviews from a GBP at one location over to a GBP at another location?
• Does the difference between 3.9 star reviews and 4.0 star reviews matter?
• Can I have a separate GBP for a separate home business?
• Can I move reviews from a deleted GBP?
• If a GBP gets suspended, should I appeal it, or make a new one?
• When is it safe to make changes and edits to a GBP?
• What are the best practices when making changes to a business name to avoid suspension?
• If a GBP was accidentally claimed by trying to set up a new one, will I lose content if I lost access as a manager?

Links mentioned in this session are available on our website at https://localmarketinginstitute.com

Each week, Greg and Ben answer your questions on digital marketing for local businesses … local search engine optimization (SEO), Google Business Profile, social media, email marketing, websites, online advertising and more.

Updates and Questions

• ChatGPT launches SearchGPT.
• You can now select multiple reviews to report with Google Reviews tool.
• What can I do to get my missing reviews back after several months?
• How do I create a second GBP for a business inside a business by the same owner without getting suspended?
• What should I do if my reviews are stuck in pending?
• How do I prove that links help with rank?

Links mentioned in this session are available on our website at https://localmarketinginstitute.com