Ep 149: Google’s Core Update & FUD, Brightlocal Consumer Review Survey, Do Searchers Use the Local Finder?

Part 1 starts 00:13 - Google’s March Core Update & FUD

David Mihm sheds light on Google's March core update, marking it as an unusually impactful monthly adjustment from the tech giant. The update has sparked extensive conversation among SEO experts. He highlighted three key focus areas of the update: scaled content, largely driven by AI technologies; site reputation abuse; and what is known colloquially as "parasite SEO." How much of this is enforceable by Google and how much is Google's FUD getting SEOs to do their work is debatable. 

Segment Reference Articles:

Aleyda Solis’s Annotated Guide

Google March 2024 Spam Updates

What on-page factors are associated with sites that see big gains or declines after Google updates? 

Google March 2024 Core Update Rolling Out - It's A Big Core Update 

Part 2 starts 17:25 - Brightlocal Consumer Review Survey

We discuss the key findings from the recent BrightLocal review survey:

• Trust in Reviews: The survey confirms that online reviews continue to be a critical factor in consumer decision-making, with a strong preference for businesses rated at four stars or above.
• Importance of Recent Reviews: Consumers place high value on the freshness of reviews, indicating the necessity for businesses to continuously generate new, positive feedback.
• Expectation for Response: There is a clear expectation among consumers for businesses to engage with and respond to reviews, signaling this as a factor in building trust and loyalty.
• Concerns Over Review Fraud: The survey highlights consumer concerns regarding the authenticity of reviews, emphasizing the need for transparency and authenticity in review management.

Segment Reference Articles: 

Local Consumer Review Survey 2024: Trends, Behaviors, and Platforms Explored

Part 3 starts 34:20 - How Often Do Searchers Use the Local Finder?

We discuss data from our recent search behavior study that sheds light on how frequently users access the Local Finder. Search behaviors diverge significantly across devices and verticals, with a marked preference for using the Local Finder feature more on mobile devices and more on queries that are less price sensitive and more reputation driven. 

Segment Reference Articles:

Why Local Searchers Look to the Local Finder