Merchynt's Local SEO Blog

Google’s Updates Just Changed the Game (Again)

If you've checked your heat map audit lately and thought, “Huh, that’s weird...”, you’re not alone. Over the past few weeks, we’ve seen a noticeable dip in local rankings across the board, and it’s not just your business, it’s happening globally. Businesses that used to rank in a nice, wide service area are now shrinking back closer to their physical locations. Combine that with lower engagement metrics like views and clicks due to how many people use Google AI Mode now, and yeah, it’s a bit of a head-scratcher. We’re tracking this trend closely and will share anything new we uncover, but for now, don’t panic - just stay consistent with your optimizations since now they help on Google Search, Google Maps, and AI Mode.

July 16, 2025

Image SEO Tips for 2025: How To Optimize Your Images for Higher Google Rankings

If you're still uploading stock images to your client’s Google Business Profile or using Canva graphics, you’re already losing traffic and visibility. Google’s AI-first search is changing the rules of the game, and you don’t want your client’s business stuck playing by the old rules. We’re now in an era where content is king, where images, videos, and AI-generated media are becoming more important than text. In this blog, we'll break down what’s changing, what matters now, and the steps you can take to stay visible and competitive in Google Search.

July 14, 2025

Google Wants You to Make the First Move 😉

Google has been dropping some not-so-subtle hints lately, and the message is loud and clear: they don’t want your Google Business Profile (GBP) to be a passive billboard on the side of the internet highway. They want it to be a full on, interactive engagement hub for your potential customers. Google is pushing businesses hard to start the conversation, not just wait around hoping customers will and they’ve made this easier than ever for busy business owners! Here’s a breakdown of exactly what Google wants you to do directly from their most recent newsletter to business owners…

July 9, 2025

Newsletter

Google’s AI Mode Has Arrived… Are You Ready?

The future of local search results has already arrived… but have you prepared your business for it? Over 50% of users are now using Google’s AI mode instead of regular old Google search. That means your business might be missing from the search results altogether if you haven’t taken steps to optimize your Google Business Profile and all around social presence for AI search results. Google’s even put AI mode onto the Google home page now, so this is definitely not going away. Since this is such a significant development in the local SEO world, we've compiled a list of our top 3 expert tips to stay ahead of these major new changes.

July 2, 2025

Newsletter

The AI Search Secret Nobody Told You About

Quick question: When was the last time you updated your YouTube channel? If your answer is “Wait, I have a YouTube channel?” we’ve got a problem. Because while you were busy optimizing your Google Business Profile, YouTube quietly became the second most-cited source in AI search results. That’s right, when people ask AI tools for local recommendations, there's a very real chance the answer comes from a video. And if that video isn't yours, AI is handing business to someone else who did remember to hit record. So yeah… it’s time to dust off the tripod.

June 25, 2025

Newsletter

Is Google’s AI Mode Hurting Your Metrics?

Google’s new AI mode metrics just started showing up in Search Console reports. Cool? Yes, but there’s a catch. Over 50% of users are now using AI Mode, but it doesn’t show the usual call, directions, or website buttons from your Google Business Profile when your business is shown to a potential customer. What does this mean, you ask? Your performance metrics on reports might look like a hot mess until this is sorted out.

June 18, 2025

The Truth About Google Business Profile Strength: Why That Green Circle Doesn’t Mean What You Think

After analyzing millions of data points from thousands of Google profiles, we discovered something surprising (and a bit alarming): That “profile strength” meter in your GBP dashboard? It’s basically meaningless. Let’s unpack why, and what matters if you want to rank higher on Google Maps.

June 16, 2025

How to Turn Bad Google Reviews Into Local SEO Wins

If you're obsessing over that one-star review, take a breath. Here's a wild truth: Businesses with a perfect 5.0 rating don’t always rank the highest on Google. In fact, after analyzing thousands of Google Business Profiles, we found that businesses with a 4.8 or 4.9 rating often outrank those with flawless reviews. Let’s break down how to transform every bad review into an SEO advantage, and when to get them removed entirely.

June 13, 2025

Google’s Secret Weapon for Local Businesses

June 11, 2025

Newsletter

Learn How To Master AI Search From The Man Who Helped Build Google Business Profiles

In case you missed it, Google just rolled out a brand-new feature called AI Mode — and it’s going to completely change the game for local SEO. That’s why we’re hosting a free virtual training tomorrow — and bringing in someone who understands this situation better than anyone else: Brad Wetherall – Former Director of Google Business Profiles at Google

June 10, 2025

Best Tools for Creating and Analyzing Local SEO Heatmap Report

Whether you're a digital marketing agency managing multiple client profiles or a local business trying to get found on Google Maps, heatmaps give you a visual breakdown of where you rank—and where you don't. In this post, we'll compare the top heatmap tools on the market, share the pros and cons of each, and introduce a new game-changing feature we built into our own platform, Paige, that makes heatmap reports far more accurate than anything else out there.

June 6, 2025

Newsletter

Google Doesn't Care About Your Website Anymore

If you’ve seen Google’s new AI Mode in action, you might have noticed something missing: everything you’ve spent years building. No website links. No blog content. No organic listings. Just a big ol’ AI box talking to itself like it doesn’t even need your website anymore.

June 5, 2025

Paige Just Got a Massive Upgrade (And You’re Going to Want to See This)

If you're an agency tired of chasing rankings, managing Google reviews manually, or wondering how to keep up with the latest Google AI search changes, here's the good news: Paige now does even more of the heavy lifting. Automatically. Let’s break it down. If you are new here, Watch how we used Paige in real-time here.

June 4, 2025

5 Things Marketing Agencies Need to Know About Google AI Mode (If They Want Their Clients' Google Business Profiles to Rank)

The rules of SEO just changed. Google’s newest update, AI Mode, isn’t just a feature. It’s a shift in how people search, how content is found, and how local businesses are discovered. In this post, I’ll break down the five most important things every marketing agency needs to know about Google AI Mode, how to rank within it, and how you can use Paige, the fully automated Google Business Profile management platform, to help your clients stay ahead.

June 4, 2025

How To Launch A Whitelabel SEO Service In 30 Days (And Run It In 30 Hours A Week – Or Less)

If you’ve ever hit a ceiling trying to grow your digital marketing agency, you’re not alone. Sometimes sales stall, fulfillment drains your time, and hiring reliable talent becomes a nightmare. But what if there was a better way? In this post, I’ll walk you through why becoming a white label SEO agency—or converting your existing agency into one—could be the smartest business move you make this year.

June 2, 2025