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dba platform update 2026

GBP categories

  • event fabrication service
  • smoothie shop
  • home care service
  • dance instructor
  • gemstone dealer
  • karaoke event service
  • “childcare” was changed to “babysitter”

Google Local Service Ads

  • Transitioning to Pmax, so everything will be in one dashboard
  • GBP integration
  • The targetting will continue to remain keywordless
  • Manual bidding and industry level target CPA depreciated
  • Migration timeline (for Canada is 2027)

GBP Review Management using Gemini

  • Not multi-locational, only good for one business profile
  • can use it to create posts, update business details, things like that
  • The account can still become suspended making changes through Gemini (it isn’t a protected way to make big changes)

GBP Reviews Policy update

  • Google does not allow business owners to use incentives to post a review
  • They do not want you to mention specific content because it can imply the customer was pressured to leave a review
  • So, reviews with names are getting flagged more often and go missing because of this
  • You can still get reviews with staff member names in them, but its more of a grey area. Like, if every review said “Crystal L was great” then it looks suspicious

GBP and GA Integration

  • You can now connect GBP to Google Analytics
  • It isn’t very good, only 6 month retention and very basic features
  • It would have been helpful 10 years ago, now its just kinda like “what?”

Search Console

  • Social media accounts can be connected to GSC now
  • Measures things like clicks, impressions, CTR, average position, queries
  • You do not need a website to connect to social media accounts

Ford and Apple Maps

  • Ford signed a deal for their new electric vehicles. The dashboard will use Apple Maps going forward.

Yelp Partners With ChatGPT for Reviews

  • Planned “request a quote” button
  • Yelp is already used in Bing, Apple Maps, and Yahoo+
  • Google’s ecosystem is a bit “closed” so these other places are integrating wherever they can, so now it is getting a bit of a boost.

Consumers are searching differently

  • 700M+ weekly chatGPT usage
  • 53% of users use it to compare products, services, etc, and have relatively high intent

ChatGPT ads

  • dba platform is offering to help with this
  • reach customers during high-intent conversations
  • its a complement, not a replacement, for Google Ads
  • it targets users that do not pay for premium ChatGPT (free tier)
  • early adopters have the ability to develop a presence before it gets competitve

Sales listings optimized by nesting

  • dba platform pitch about how they make mini GBPs and know how to connect them all to a main one properly, so nothing gets flagged.
  • For example an autodealership has a main profile, then sub profiles for parts, service, tireshop, etc.
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