Local search &
platform news
Timely local SEO updates for multi-location brands: Google Business Profile, Apple Business, Meta, AI search, and EU regulation, explained for the central teams that manage hundreds or thousands of locations.
June 2026
AI search routes users to your least accessible pages
AudioEye's 2026 Digital Accessibility Index finds AI search sends most traffic to interior pages that carry the most accessibility failures, EU sites worst.
Marcus OlssonGoogle details how to control content in AI search
Google's AI Features documentation explains how brands decide whether their pages show in AI Overviews and AI Mode, and the snippet trade-off it carries.
Astghik NikoghosyanGoogle tests a web-only results button in AI Overviews
Google is reportedly testing a button inside AI Overviews that drops users into a plain web-results tab with no AI features. What it means for organic clicks.
Astghik NikoghosyanGoogle bans incentivized reviews: the penalties at scale
Offering discounts, gifts, or points for reviews violates Google policy. For multi-location brands, one rogue local campaign can put the whole estate at risk.
Björn HandellStudy: enterprise brands rank but vanish from AI Overviews
A 2026 Walker Sands benchmark found enterprise brands are cited in just 3% of the AI Overviews they qualify for, even when they rank well in Google search.
Astghik NikoghosyanReview survey 2026: 85% act on reviews, recency decides
Consumers read reviews more often and demand fresher ones in 2026, BrightLocal finds. For multi-location brands, review recency and replies now decide demand.
Malin Dotevall BanksSimilarweb: ChatGPT recommendations drive site visits
Brands recommended by ChatGPT win about 2.5 times more site visits within a week, Similarweb found, and most of that traffic hides inside branded search.
Astghik NikoghosyanGoogle rolls out the June 2026 spam update globally
Google has begun rolling out the June 2026 spam update worldwide and in every language. Here is what multi-location brands should monitor across the estate.
Astghik NikoghosyanGoogle Business Profile adds a Collected Info panel
Google Business Profile now shows a Collected Info panel where brands can confirm or reject details Google gathers by automated call, text, or WhatsApp.
Daniel MelkerssonGoogle review extortion scams hit multi-location brands
A wave of fake 1-star reviews followed by demands to pay for removal is hitting chains. Google now offers a dedicated form to report review extortion.
Malin Dotevall BanksSearch Console adds Generative AI performance reports
Google Search Console now reports impressions inside AI Overviews and AI Mode, giving multi-location brands their first dedicated view of AI search visibility.
Astghik NikoghosyanEU Accessibility Act: digital platforms still fall short
Almost a year after the EU Accessibility Act took effect, new research suggests most digital services still fail blind and vision-impaired users online.
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