Ep 118:TikTok IS about local, Google Perspectives perspective, New GBP "by owner" button

Part 1 starts 00:13 - Tiktok IS about Local but not the way you think

While the Wall Street Journal thinks TikTok holds companies hostage and a small business in Philadelphia thinks it is unfair to get so many fake reviews, there is no denying that Tiktok has scale. TikTok hasn't really provided any real local discovery options, but any given video can get so much traction that it can be felt at the most local of levels.

Segment Reference Articles

'It's a billion-person focus group': How TikTok influences brands

Fake Engagement From TikTok Video - Google Business Profile Community

Laura Bagella on TikTok (relive your teenage angst)

Part 2 starts 12:50 - Google Perspectives: innovation for the SERPs or bandaid to prevent social media flight?

Google has rolled out a new mobile CTA at the top of many serps called Perspectives which provides a dedicated area to show assorted social media related commentary on the topic of your search. Depending on the query intent it might show first in the radio buttons or it might be last but it includes YouTube, Reddit, Quora and Twitter (amongst others) commentary on the topic. Many think that the SERPS have become less useful on Google; too many ads, too much spam, et cetera, and Google is responding to that criticism. The question is whether this is an adequate response or does it make matters worse.

Segment Reference Article: Google Perspectives

Part 3 starts 20:15 - New Google GBP feature “By Owner” & new Whitespark tool reflect reality that GBP is rented not owned

Google is now highlighting “all” owner controlled GBP content in a new "By owner" in the mobile business profile. It includes the business description and the business's Updates (aka Posts). It is not clear why a user would ever select or be curious about that tab.

Whitespark has released a new tool that tracks and reports on the many changes that users and Google regularly make to all of the other fundamental data in the business profile (phone number, address, categories, URLs etc.) that business owners just think they control.

When viewed together, any rational business should  understand that they control very, very little of their profile on Google and what they do control is unlikely to be seen by searchers. It is Google's building and you are not even quite renting a room... you are sleeping on the doorstep.

Segment Reference Articles:

Whitespark GBP Management tool

Google Business Profile "by owner" button"

AI disclosure: this week, the body copy and the characters in the video are all generated by real people mostly acting as themselves. The image was generated by MidJourney.