Merchynt's Local SEO Blog

Did Google’s Latest Update Grinch Your Rankings?

Freaking out over recent ranking shifts? Don’t worry, you’re not alone! Google just dropped its December 2024 Core Algorithm Update last week, and as always, it’s shaking up search results across the board. These core updates are like Google’s way of reorganizing the rules of the game. They aim to improve search quality and relevance, but the adjustment period can feel like a rollercoaster. Remember, these updates don’t punish businesses—they refine search results to better serve users. It’s natural to see some movement while the update is still rolling out, so don’t hit the panic button yet! It’ll take weeks for the dust to settle on new rankings as the update rolls out and A/B ranking tests begin. Not sure if your rankings tanked? Check here.

December 18, 2024

A Complete Guide on AI Marketing Agents 2025

Marketing has always been a delicate dance between creativity and strategy, and now, with advancements in technology, that dance has taken an exciting turn! AI marketing agents are revolutionizing the industry, leading the way in transforming traditional approaches. These tools make it easier for businesses to automate complex tasks, optimize their campaigns, and achieve remarkable results while saving time and resources.Whether you’re a small business owner aiming to maximize limited resources or a marketing professional seeking the latest innovations, this guide offers a comprehensive overview of AI-driven marketing platforms, their categories, and how they can elevate your efforts. From fully automated marketing tools to AI solutions for small business marketing, we’ll cover everything you need to know to stay competitive and ahead of the curve in 2024 and beyond.

December 17, 2024

Newsletter

How To Use The Holidays to Rank Higher

The holiday season is here, and it’s the busiest time of year for many businesses! That means more customers, more sales—and a perfect opportunity to collect reviews for your GMB. (It doesn’t hurt that your customers will be in good moods, too!) If you’ve been following us for a while, you probably know by now that reviews are one of the most important factors in boosting your ranking on Google Maps. Let’s take advantage of the busy season and build momentum that will launch your business to the top in 2025!

December 11, 2024

Newsletter

Are shady people connected to your GMB?

Everyone, including you (yeah, I’ll make that bet) wants to avoid a Google Business Profile suspension, so that’s why today I’m going to give you one thing you can do to improve your chances of not getting a suspension. Remove all the random people from your Google Business Profile that you’ve added over the years and forgot to remove. This is important because if someone you gave access to has done some shady things on the Google eco-system, like spammed comments, left fake reviews, or anything else Google deems as “naughty” (here come to holiday puns!), it can drag down the confidence Google has in your Google Business Profile since after all, you made that person a manager of your business. This lower confidence may result in a suspension, or simply ranking lower.

December 5, 2024

Newsletter

Win Black Friday & Small Business Saturday on GMB

The holiday shopping season is upon us! Black Friday and Small Business Saturday are golden opportunities to drive foot traffic, calls, online sales, and local brand awareness. But here’s the question for you: Is your Google Business Profile (GBP) ready to cash in on the opportunity? One of the most effective (and underused) features of a GBP is the “Offers” section. Offers are a golden opportunity to separate yourself from boring competitors during the busy holiday season. Let’s get into how you can create the perfect offer for your business!

November 28, 2024

Newsletter

There’s a New Way to Get Found on Google

Google released a brand new feature on Google Maps that your business needs to take advantage of! Google is now showing “Products Nearby” that will direct users who are looking for a product right to your GMB. This means that users can easily find your profile in search results when they are looking for specific products, which used to direct them towards online businesses, not local businesses. The products section is often overlooked and under optimized, so optimizing your products is a great way to separate yourself from the competition - especially now that you can easily gain traffic from them! Let’s dive right into how you can take advantage of this today…

November 21, 2024

Newsletter

Is Your Business Optimized For AI Search Engines?

Let’s make this clear - Google is still the king of local search results, but did you know that new AI-powered search engines like ChatGPT, Meta, Bing, and Brave are starting to add local search results? Now you can just ask ChatGPT for recommendations on the best business in your area and BAM - it will spit out a list of businesses and information about each one. You might be wondering where AI is getting that info from, and you’re in luck since we now know! They are currently sourcing business information from various directories and search platforms like Yelp, Yellow Pages, and TripAdvisor! So, whether you thought citation management was no longer important (or you had never heard of it before!), citations appear to be gaining importance once again, and here’s what you need to know about it.

November 14, 2024

Newsletter

Google’s AI Features That Matter For Your Business

We’ve got some big news to share this week, thanks to Google’s launch of several new AI features related to your Google Business Profile! I’ll break them down so you know how you can take advantage of these changes to get more customers from Google Maps! Here’s the deal: Google users can now ask Gemini a question about your business (separate from Q&A), and Gemini will use the info it has on your business to provide them with an answer. You now NEED your business to be loved by Gemini AI to get the most out of your GMB in the future, and here’s how to do it!

November 8, 2024

Newsletter

Google Increases the Importance of GMB in New Update

Google recently made a change that emphasizes just how important your GMB is. Now, if you want to run Local Service Ads, you must have a verified GBP. This shift proves that Google views the GMB as the go-to source for local business information, affecting not just ads but the brand new AI-generated search results too. These recent updates put everyone on notice - if your GMB isn’t fully optimized you have to get caught up now!

October 24, 2024

Newsletter

Google’s New Way to Learn About Your Business

Google has a new way to learn about your business that you’re going to have to optimize your profile for… social media! Google now crawls social media platforms to gather more info about your business. If you’ve been looking for a way to gain an edge over your competition, this is another tool for your belt!

October 16, 2024

The 5 Best Lead Magnets for Agencies

Discover 5 brilliant lead magnets for marketing agencies to boost leads, engage audiences, and enhance brand authority effectively.

October 14, 2024

Mastering White Label Google My Business Management

Master White label Google My Business management for better SEO, brand visibility, and customer engagement with Merchynt's AI-powered solutions.

October 11, 2024

Is Your GMB Optimized For This New Update?

Google recently rolled out a new feature that makes reviews and photos even more valuable for your business. Now, when users scroll through photos on a Google Business Profile, reviews and menu descriptions appear beneath those images.

September 26, 2024

The Complete Guide to Google My Business Management Software

This comprehensive guide will dive deep into everything you need to know about leveraging AI and automation and the best Google My Business management software to skyrocket your local search rankings, boost your online visibility, and outshine your competitors.

September 25, 2024

Newsletter

Is Your GBP Ready for Fall?

Fall is officially kicking off this Sunday, and that means it's the perfect time to launch a Fall Promotion on your Google Business Profile (GMB)! Why? Because Google isn’t just looking at keywords and reviews to determine your ranking – they also value profiles that show consistent activity. When you update your GMB with fresh offers, it signals to Google that your business is active and relevant, which can help boost your ranking in local search results.

September 18, 2024