Shows / The Near Memo
The Near Memo
Exploring the big stories for the week at the intersection of local business & marketing across the spectrum of search, social and commerce. With Greg Sterling, Mike Blumenthal & David Mihm.
Episodes
- The Near Memo
Why Google Deletes 2% of Reviews, Siri Search, Google’s New In-Stock Check & Its Ad Revenue Miss
Send us Fan Mail Google deletes just under 2% of new reviews within a week, and a new study of nearly five million reviews shows it's spikes, not content, that…
- The Near Memo
Beyond the Link: How Citation Labs Rebuilt Its Agency for AI Visibility (Part 2)
Send us Fan Mail Garrett French, Valerie Cecil and James Wirth of Citation Labs rejoin Greg Sterling and Mike Blumenthal for Part 2. After laying out the six…
- The Near Memo
Track What You Can, Let Go of the Rest: Dana DiTomaso on Attribution After GA4
Send us Fan Mail Is attribution dead? Not quite, says Dana DiTomaso of Kick Point, but it isn't healthy, and it was always a little fictional. Universal…
- The Near Memo
Correcting the Machine: Citation Labs on the Six Layers of AI Visibility (Part 1)
Send us Fan Mail AI answers get brands wrong all the time: old pricing, expired offers, comparisons nobody updated. Garrett French, James Wirth and Valerie…
- The Near Memo
Rankings Up, Calls Down: What AI Visibility Is Really Worth to Local Businesses.
Send us Fan Mail Andrew Shotland (Local SEO Guide) and Mark Kabana (Places Scout, now part of Yext) rejoin Greg Sterling and Mike Blumenthal for Part 2 of our…
- The Near Memo
Why "Position One" Doesn't Exist in Local Anymore (Brighton SEO Recap)
Send us Fan Mail Andrew Shotland (Local SEO Guide) and Mark Kabana (founder of Places Scout, now VP of Data Innovation at Yext) join Greg Sterling and Mike…
- The Near Memo
Fragmented Discovery, Google's €460M DMA Fine, and Apple's Distribution Bet
Send us Fan Mail Greg Sterling and Mike Blumenthal break down four stories shaping local search and AI discovery. First, a preview of new consumer-journey…
- The Near Memo
The Verification Loop: How People *Really* Find Local Businesses Now (SOCi's Damian Rollison)
Send us Fan Mail The path to a local purchase used to be a straight line. It isn't anymore. Damian Rollison, Senior Director of Market Insights at SOCi, joins…
- The Near Memo
The Path of Enshittification: Apple Ads, Google's Toll Booth, and Meta's $18B Escape Hatch
Send us Fan Mail Greg Sterling and Mike Blumenthal go guest-free this week to connect three stories that are really one story. Apple has launched ads in Apple…
- The Near Memo
The Hidden Advantage: How Brand Awareness Decides the Click in Legal Search
Send us Fan Mail Greg Sterling walks Mike Blumenthal through original Near Media user research — the "Choosing a Lawyer" study of the Atlanta personal-injury…
- The Near Memo
Tactics for Building a Local Brand in the Age of AI Search — An Agency Panel
Send us Fan Mail Four agency operators join Greg Sterling and Mike Blumenthal to close out the Near Memo brand-building series: Paula French (Search…
- The Near Memo
AI Overviews, Brand Search & Local SEO: Cyrus Shepard on Earning the Click - from the archives
Send us Fan Mail We're on vacation this week, so we're re-running one of our favorite April conversations. It still speaks to our current series on brand in…
- The Near Memo
Legal Marketing in the AI Era: LSAs, Reviews, and Manufacturing Brand Demand
Send us Fan Mail Part 3 of the Near Memo brand-building series brings brand down to earth in professional services — specifically legal, where a client hires…
- The Near Memo
Cyrus Shepard Interview: What "Local Brand" Actually Means to Google and AI
Send us Fan Mail Cyrus Shepard, founder of Zyppy, joins Greg Sterling and Mike Blumenthal for Part 2 of the Near Memo brand-building series — this time on the…
- The Near Memo
The 3-Step Trust Equation: How to Build a Local Brand That Customers (& AI) Trust
Send us Fan Mail What separates a commodity local provider from a business that easily commands premium pricing? In this kickoff to our four-part brand series…
- The Near Memo
Ep. 264: Web Authenticity & The Agentic Future of the SMB Website with Raj Singh
Send us Fan Mail Are traditional websites dying, or are they just changing shapes? Hosts Greg Sterling and Mike Blumenthal catch up with serial entrepreneur…
- The Near Memo
Beyond the Star Rating: Extracting Strategic Content Insights from Customer Feedback
Send us Fan Mail Local SEO strategy often gets stuck playing a quantitative numbers game with review counts and velocity benchmarks. But what happens when you…
- The Near Memo
Ep. 262: Regulating the Digital Wild West: Inside the FTC’s Battle Against Review Fraud and AI Deception with Michael Atleson
Send us Fan Mail What happens when federal regulators take on fake reviews and predatory AI applications? This week on NearMemo, Greg Sterling and Mike…
- The Near Memo
Google Maps' AI Shift: Why Brand Building, Reviews & Social Presence Are the New Local SEO
Send us Fan Mail Are your local search frameworks ready for a probabilistic, AI-driven Map interface? This week, Greg, Mike, and local search practitioner…
- The Near Memo
Goodbye Traffic, Hello Sales: The New Playbook for Local SEO Visibility
Send us Fan Mail How do you build brand permanence in a local market when web attribution metrics are fading? This week, we dive into Part 2 of our post-Google…
- The Near Memo
What Does I/O Mean for Marketers with Cindy Krum, Gregg Gifford & Krystal Tang - Part 1
Send us Fan Mail The rules of user discovery are undergoing a massive rewrite. This week, the Near Media roundtable features top search minds Cindy Krum…
- The Near Memo
From Keyword Rankings to Brand Reverence: The New Local AI SEO Blueprint
Send us Fan Mail In this Duda webinar, Darren Shaw and Mike Blumenthal explore the paradigm shift occurring in local search as Google increasingly incorporates…
- The Near Memo
Google Already Knows Everything About You — And Their New AI Features Make It Worse
Send us Fan Mail Google just revealed the future of Search at Google I/O and Google Marketing Live — and it’s far more personal, predictive, and invasive than…
- The Near Memo
The Death of Keywords: How Google’s Personal Intelligence is defining the future of Local Search
Send us Fan Mail In Part 2 of Near Media’s conversation with Garrett Sussman, the discussion shifts from AI personalization theory to the real-world impact on…
- The Near Memo
How Google’s Personal Intelligence is Quietly Revolutionizing Your Search Results
Send us Fan Mail Is Google getting too personal? In this episode of the Near Memo, Greg Sterling and Mike Blumenthal are joined by Garrett Sussman (iPullRank)…
- The Near Memo
Google Ask Maps Deep Dive: The Future of Local SEO & AI Search
Send us Fan Mail Join our celebrity local SEO panel—Claudia Tomina, Adam Dorfman, and Darren "The Canadian" Shaw—as they explore "Ask Maps," Google’s…
- The Near Memo
Review Fraud, FTC Fines, and Yelp’s Legal Strike
Send us Fan Mail Greg and Mike discuss the shifting landscape of local search. From the FTC’s latest crackdown on incentivized reviews to Yelp’s attempt to…
- The Near Memo
Google Reviews Crackdown, Meta vs Google, and the AI Search Shift (What Marketers Are Missing)
Send us Fan Mail Google just changed the rules on reviews—and businesses may already be getting penalized. Meanwhile, Meta is projected to overtake Google in…
- The Near Memo
Google Lied About Click Data — Here’s What Actually Drives Rankings in 2026
Send us Fan Mail This episode explores how Google actually uses click data (despite years of denial) and how that reality intersects with the rise of AI…
- The Near Memo
AI, Reviews & Intent Pages: What Actually Drives Multi-Location SEO Now (Part 2)
Send us Fan Mail In Part 2, Steve Wiideman joins Greg Sterling and Mike Blumenthal to cut through the AI hype and explain what’s actually working in…
- The Near Memo
Multi-Location SEO: What Actually Works (And What Doesn’t) Part 1
Send us Fan Mail What does it really take to scale SEO across hundreds (or thousands) of locations? In this episode of the Near Memo, Greg Sterling and Mike…
- The Near Memo
State of Google Business Profile 2026: Impressions Are Down 54%—But Actions Aren’t
Send us Fan Mail Google Business Profile impressions are dropping fast—but conversions aren’t. In this Near Memo episode, Greg Sterling, Mike Blumenthal, and…
- The Near Memo
From the Archives: Local Search Ranking Factors — Darren Shaw on Reviews, AI Search & What Drives Local Rank
Send us Fan Mail In this archive episode of the Near Memo podcast, Darren Shaw of Whitespark joins Mike Blumenthal, Greg Sterling, and David Mihm to discuss…
- The Near Memo
How should agencies build a business around Google Local Service Ads (LSAs)?
Send us Fan Mail In this episode of the Near Memo podcast, Greg Sterling and Mike Blumenthal host a panel discussion with Eric Levine (Leadwise HQ, former…
- The Near Memo
AI, Strong-Arm Tactics & a Shifting Review Landscape Are Reshaping Local Search
Send us Fan Mail Google AI & Click Economics Google is replacing structured GBP data with AI-generated summaries, nudging users into AI Mode, and expanding…
- The Near Memo
AI Visibility vs Google Ranking: Rand Fishkin & the Future of Search, Zero Click & Brand Measurement
Send us Fan Mail In this episode of Near Memo, Rand Fishkin joins Greg Sterling, Mike Blumenthal, and David Mihm to unpack the future of AI search, brand…
- The Near Memo
The Truth About Google Local Service Ads: Rankings, Reviews & Photo Strategy
Send us Fan Mail Google Local Service Ads have become one of the most powerful placements in local search — especially in competitive verticals like personal…
- The Near Memo
Inside Google Local Services Ads: Ranking Signals, Lead Costs, and Why LSAs Beat the Local Pack (w/ Eric Levine)
Send us Fan Mail Local Services Ads have become the “top-of-the-page” battleground for high-value local categories—especially professional services. In this…
- The Near Memo
AI Isn’t Replacing Local Search — But It’s Rewiring How People Choose with Crystal Carter
Send us Fan Mail AI isn’t killing search — it’s reshaping how people discover, evaluate, and choose businesses. In this in terview with Crystal Carter of Wix…
- The Near Memo
Inside Google Local Rankings and the Review Purge
Send us Fan Mail Claudia Tomina joins Greg Sterling and Mike Blumenthal to unpack what the Google API leak reveals about local rankings, why reviews are being…
- The Near Memo
AI Is Breaking Local Search—But Google Still Decides Who Gets Chosen - Interview with Gyi Tsakalakis Part 2
Send us Fan Mail AI tools are changing how consumers discover local businesses, but Google remains the system of record for trust, reviews, directions, and…
- The Near Memo
Why Local SEO Is Breaking for Law Firms (And What Actually Works Now)
Send us Fan Mail Local SEO, reviews, and Google LSAs are no longer working the way law firms expect. In this episode of Near Memo, Gyi Tsakalakis…
- The Near Memo
Google’s AI Mode Is Rewriting Local Search — What Businesses Must Do for 2026 P#2
Send us Fan Mail Google’s AI Mode and ChatGPT search are reshaping local discovery. This deep dive interview with Michel van Luijtelaar of GMBapi explains…
- The Near Memo
Google’s Review Algorithms Are Tightening — Here’s What the Data Shows
Send us Fan Mail In this episode of The Near Memo, Greg Sterling and Mike Blumenthal talk with Michel of GMB API about what new data reveals regarding review…
- The Near Memo
AI Agents Are Coming: Jes Scholz Reveals How to Prepare Your Business NOW
Send us Fan Mail In this episode, Jes Scholz joins Greg Sterling and Mike Blumenthal for a deep dive into the forces reshaping search: AI agents, the rise of…
- The Near Memo
AI Mode, Gemini 3 & the Future of Search: Jes Scholz on What SEOs Must Do Now
Send us Fan Mail In this packed episode, Jes Scholz joins Greg Sterling and Mike Blumenthal to explore where AI search is really headed. From conversational…
- The Near Memo
Google Maps Gets AI, Reviews Get Aliases, Ads Invade AI Mode — And Google Uses Its Monopoly to Win the AI War
Send us Fan Mail In this episode of the Near Memo, Mike Blumenthal and Greg Sterling unpack Google’s dramatic shift toward an AI-first search ecosystem —…
- The Near Memo
What #1-Ranking Personal Injury Lawyers Are Doing Right — Greg Gifford’s GBP Local Ranking Study
Send us Fan Mail Greg Gifford joins the Near Memo to break down his large-scale Local SEO study of 3,000 personal injury law firm's Google Business Profiles…
- The Near Memo
AI Search, Reviews, and the Future of Local SEO — Darren Shaw Breaks Down the 2026 Ranking Factors
Send us Fan Mail Local SEO just got a major shake-up. In this episode, Darren Shaw of Whitespark joins Mike Blumenthal, David Mihm, and Greg Sterling to reveal…
- The Near Memo
TikTok’s Local Play: How Gen Z Is Rewriting Local Search
Send us Fan Mail In this episode, Greg Sterling, Mike Blumenthal, and Celeste Gonzalez (Rickety Roo) dive into TikTok’s “Local Explorer” — a new review and…
- The Near Memo
Google’s Local Antitrust Battle with Yelp, Gemini’s “Grounded” Local AI, and ChatGPT’s New Local Results
Send us Fan Mail In Episode 229, Mike and Greg unpack Yelp’s revived antitrust lawsuit against Google and what it reveals about search dominance. They dive…
- The Near Memo
AI & Local Business: How AI Is Rewriting Location Management; Interview with Ana Martinez, P2
Send us Fan Mail AI is reshaping how businesses manage their locations, from adoption challenges to AI Overviews in Google Search, to the renewed importance of…
- The Near Memo
Inside Uberall’s Local AI Shift: From Culture Shift to Client Tools; Part 1
Send us Fan Mail Uberall’s CTO Ana Martinez joins Greg Sterling & Mike Blumenthal to reveal how the company is going “AI native with their Local Platform…
- The Near Memo
Google GBP Suspension Increases?, The Future of Reviews, and Liz Reid’s AI Vision for Search
Send us Fan Mail In this episode of the Near Memo, Greg Sterling and Mike Blumenthal dig into Google Business Profile suspension increases over time, the…
- The Near Memo
Google Review Extortion, Maps AR, What ChatGPT is Missing & YouTube’s Strategic Power
Send us Fan Mail In this episode of the Near Memo, Mike and Greg break down: The rise of Google Business Profile review extortion scams 📉 Google Maps’ new AR…
- The Near Memo
Interview with Barry Schwartz: Review Ransom, The State of the Open Web, and the Implications of AI on Search Interfaces
Send us Fan Mail In this episode, Greg Sterling, Mike Blumenthal, and Barry Schwartz discuss various pressing topics in the digital marketing landscape…
- The Near Memo
Google’s Action Links Crackdown, The “Declining” Open Web, and Siri + Gemini
Send us Fan Mail We discuss Google’s new guidelines for Business Profile action links, the company’s conflicting statements about the health of the open web in…
- The Near Memo
AI Overviews in Local: When & Where, DOJ Google Remedies (?), and an SMB GBP Case Study
Send us Fan Mail We dig into when/where Google’s AI Overviews (AIOs) appear in local, how people actually split tasks across Google vs. ChatGPT, what the DOJ’s…
- The Near Memo
AI Overviews & Why consumers like them, Reviews vs. Reality & Why Google Search Volumes Aren’t Falling
Send us Fan Mail Mike Blumenthal and Greg Sterling discuss three hot-button topics: Consumer vs. industry perspectives on Google’s AI Overviews How review…
- The Near Memo
Google’s LSA Shake-Up, Google LSA Dark Patterns & BrightLocal SMB Marketing Insights
Send us Fan Mail Google is consolidating Local Services Ads trust signals into a single verification badge — but is it really about trust or revenue? Greg and…