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PLATFORM CHANGES, EXPLAINED.
Google, Meta and the other platforms small businesses rely on change all the time. We explain the changes that matter in plain English, with the date and the source.
LATEST POSTS
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Google Spam Update: Check Your Thin Pages2026-10-10 · Google's September 2026 spam update finished on October 8. How to find copy-paste city pages, unread AI posts and pages that help no one, and what to do.
Google Manual Actions: A Monthly Check2026-10-10 · SEO consultants report more Google manual actions for thin and scaled content. Where to find the report, what it means and a monthly routine.
Google Ads AI Text Previews: What to Check2026-10-10 · Google Ads now previews sample AI-written headlines for AI Max text customization before you opt in. What to look for and how to set text guidelines.
Local Services Ads: When Missed Calls Cost You2026-10-09 · Google says an unanswered Local Services Ads call in business hours can be charged after 20 seconds. What changed and how to set up your phones.
Google Ads AI Max Columns: What to Check2026-10-09 · Google Ads added AI Max columns for brand inclusions, locations of interest, commission and optimized targeting. What to check each month.
Local Services Ads Lead Statuses Explained2026-10-09 · Local Services Ads leads show Charged, Not charged, In review or Credited, with a 30-day review window. How to read your bill against booked jobs.
Schema Markup in Plain English2026-10-08 · Schema markup is a small block of code that tells search engines the facts about your business. What it does, what it doesn't, and how to check your site has it.
Where Do Your Customers Come From?2026-10-08 · If you don't know which calls came from Google and which came from your website, every marketing decision is a guess. Simple ways to start measuring this week.
Resource Hub or Blog on Your Main Site?2026-10-08 · Should you add a blog to your website or build a separate resource hub of customer guides? How each works, when each makes sense, and the rules that apply to both.
NAP Consistency: Clean Up Your Listings2026-10-07 · Your name, address and phone should match everywhere online. A step-by-step listing clean-up for Google, your website and directories, including multi-location.
Monthly Website Plan or One-Time Build?2026-10-07 · A local business website is never finished. How a one-time build compares with a monthly plan, what to ask before you sign, and what changes at scale.
Who Owns Your Domain Name? How to Check2026-10-07 · Is your domain registered to a former designer or agency? How to check who controls your domain and Google Business Profile, and how to fix it.
Choosing Google Business Profile Categories2026-10-06 · Your primary category helps decide which searches your Google Business Profile shows up for. How to pick it, when to add secondary categories, and how to change them safely.
Google Business Profile Updates: What to Post2026-10-06 · Updates are short posts on your Google Business Profile. What to post, what to leave out, why phone numbers and links don't belong in the text, and a weekly rhythm you can keep.
Should You Have a Page for Every Town?2026-10-06 · A page per town only helps when each one is genuinely different. A simple test, what a useful town page contains, and when one service-area page is the better choice.
Local Services Ads Are Moving Into Google Ads: What Changes2026-09-17 · Google is migrating Local Services Ads to Performance Max campaigns with pay-per-lead goals, starting August 2026 in the US. The timeline, what stays, what changes, and what to do.
Local Services Ads Requirements Update and AI Image Ban2026-09-17 · Google renamed its Local Services platform policies to Local Services Ads requirements on July 31, 2026, and from August 2, 2026 bans AI images in the EU and New York. What owners must check.
Google Call-Only Ads Stop in February 2027: Switch to Call Assets2026-09-17 · Google is deprecating call ads. New call-only ads could no longer be created from February 2026, and existing ones stop getting impressions in February 2027. How to move to call assets.
Google's AI Optimization Guide: What Local Businesses Should Do2026-09-16 · On May 15, 2026 Google published a guide to optimizing for AI Overviews and AI Mode. Its local business advice, its list of AEO/GEO tactics to ignore, and what to do.
Google Spam Policies Now Cover AI Responses: Local SEO Risks2026-09-16 · On May 15, 2026 Google clarified that its spam policies apply to generative AI responses in Search. Which policies trip up local businesses and how to stay clear.
Google May Now Act on Spam Reports: Reporting Competitor Spam2026-09-16 · In April 2026 Google said spam reports may be used to take manual action. What that means when a competitor uses spam or fake listings, and which form to use.
Google Search Profile Badges: Do Local Businesses Qualify?2026-09-16 · On September 16, 2026 Google documented a Search profile badge for websites. What a Search profile is, who qualifies, and why it is not your Business Profile.
Google's New Guidance on SEO Tools, Services and Advice2026-09-16 · On June 5, 2026 Google added guidance on judging third-party SEO tools, AEO/GEO services and advice. What it says and how a small business can use it.
Google Retired FAQ Rich Results: What It Means for Your Site2026-09-16 · Google says FAQ rich results stopped appearing in Search from May 7, 2026 and removed the documentation on June 15. What small business sites should do.
Google Now Treats Back Button Hijacking as Spam2026-09-16 · Since June 15, 2026, Google can demote pages that hijack the back button. What counts, why ad scripts and plugins matter, and what small business sites should check.
Google Updates Its Site Reputation Policy (Aug 2026)2026-09-16 · On August 28, 2026 Google changed how its site reputation policy is enforced in the EEA and published criteria and examples. What it means for sponsored pages, coupons and partner content.
Google Adds a Review Snippet Rule on Incentivized Reviews2026-09-16 · On July 24, 2026 Google added a review snippet guideline against fake and undisclosed incentivized reviews. What it says, how it fits local business markup, and what to fix.
Google Now Shows Why a Review Reply Was Rejected2026-09-16 · The Business Profile API now reports whether a review reply is pending, approved or rejected, and which policy a rejected reply broke. What changed and what to do.
FTC Sues Over Fake Local Home Repair Listings2026-09-16 · The FTC and Illinois sued a company accused of creating thousands of fake local home repair listings with fabricated reviews. What was alleged and what to do.
FTC Warns 10 Companies Under the Consumer Review Rule2026-09-16 · In December 2025 the FTC warned 10 companies about possible Consumer Review Rule violations. What the rule bans, what penalties apply, and what to change now.
Search Console Now Reports AI Overviews and AI Mode2026-09-16 · Google added generative AI performance reports to Search Console, covering AI Overviews and AI Mode. What changed, who can see it, and what to do.
Search Console Branded Queries Filter Explained2026-09-16 · Search Console added a branded queries filter that separates searches for your business name from everything else. What it does, limits, and how to use it.
Google Discontinued the Business Profile Q&A API2026-09-16 · Google discontinued the My Business Q&A API on November 3, 2025. What that means for tools that managed your profile questions, and what to do now.
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The blog is dated: what a platform changed, who it affects and what to do, written when it happens. The guides are evergreen how-tos we keep up to date. Both cite primary sources.
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