What’s Next In Google Search

Bugs/Issues
– side panel missing on dashboard
– school reviews being removed inconsistently

GBP Categories Added
– bartending services
– esthetics service

GBP Q&A going away?
– no, no official announcement
– but its missing on most desktop knowledge panels
– it still shows on Google Maps results
– keep using it

Google Search Is Declining
– Ai and in-app search (like Apple Maps) now account for a big chunk of the total search volume.
– Nearly 40% Gen Z users start product or local discovery on platforms like TikTok or Apple Maps rather than Google. (Google 2022)
– It is forecasted that Google’s overall serach ad share could fall below 50% by 2026 (Insider Intelligence, 2024)

Citation Management
– backbone of local search visibility
– it is critical for local search because consistent and accurate business information across the web directly affects your local SEO performance, trust with customers, and visibility in search engine results (especially Google)
– clicks to websites are going away, so we need more citations
– Google uses citations as trust symbols, especially if they are consistent
– Online directories don’t matter as much to Google, but Bing and Apple are a bit behind. They are getting more important again because Google is falling and Bing/Apple are rising.
– Consistency matters, things like 123 N street is different from 123 North Street.
– Smart assistants (Siri, Alexa, etc) rely on citation data

Citation management local search
– is it working?
– are there errors?
– how do i fix them?
– am i better than my competitors?
– how do I prove it?

dba platform accuracy report (in beta)
– a clear quantifiable snapshop of how your listings appear across top platforms

dba account activity report
– every change, every sync, every action is documented and searchable
– good for holidays and things where you have to temporily update store hours across multiple platforms
– google does not have this yet (who did what on my account?)

dba sync issues report
– see whats blocking your listings and how to fix it

dba platform new audit tool
– type in a business name, connect to google places api. Run scan.
– pulls from search results; google, apple, bing, FB down the line
– shows every location, easy fixes

the increasing importance of apple
– a new powerhouse in the making
– Apple Maps is no longer a background app, it’s a major player in local serach.
– the default navigation app for iOIS devices, viging businesess listed on Apple Business Connect direct access to over half US smartphone users.
– apple maps drives 10% of phone calls and 5% of website visits that GBPs do not (NearMedia.co, 2023)
– Apple Business Connect is like GBP but a huge pain. Search the business on Apple Maps and “claim this place”. All businesses should be claimed.