Ep 132: GBP Call History returns, Local Trust Report, SGE Where now?

Part 1 starts 00:13 - GBP Call History’s History - What does it say about Google?

Google Business Profile Call History has been problematic from the start because it made the business of calling a business more like roulette. When it disappeared after months of barely functioning every thought it had been nuked. But its back. Its chaotic development, its checkered history, the lack of communication around it speaks to all of the things that Google does poorly and why any smart business would not put such a critical piece of infrastructure in Google’s hands. 

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Google Call History Returns

Google Business Profiles Drops Call Tracking Features

Part 2 starts 8:38 - Bright Local Local Business Discovery and Trust Report

Brightlocal’s second discovery and trust report surveyed 1100 users in the US and looks at everything from the impact of inaccurate listings to which social sites searchers trust. People still trust Google and Google Maps while trust in Facebook, Yelp and the others is much much less. 

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Apple Users Prefer Google Maps 2:1

Local Business Discovery and Trust Report

Part 3 starts 19:57 - How will Google’s SGE impact local search and what will it deliver?

Google’s Bard strategy of taking generative AI as a search tool into their productivity and assistant tool makes sense. But what of the Search Generative Experience in search? The test is coming to end in December and we ask exactly what can we expect and what should we think about as it relates to local search? 

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SGE Lite

Bard can now connect to your Google apps and services