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.
July 2026
Google Search ad revenue hits record as AI answers grow
Alphabet's Q2 2026 results show Google Search advertising up about 17% to a record $63.3 billion, in a quarter when AI Overviews and AI Mode kept expanding.
Marcus OlssonEU Digital Fairness Act stalls on scope as Commission splits
The EU's planned Digital Fairness Act targets fake reviews, dark patterns and addictive design, but the Commission is split on scope. What brands should watch.
Marcus OlssonGoogle's Content API for Shopping sunsets in August 2026
Google will sunset the Content API for Shopping on 18 August 2026. Retailers must migrate to the Merchant API, and an extended-access form is now available.
Ehsan MousaviGoogle puts Gemini 3.5 Flash-Lite behind AI Search
Google launched Gemini 3.5 Flash-Lite, its fastest, cheapest 3.5-class model, now coming to Search. Why the model behind AI answers matters to brands.
Astghik NikoghosyanApple Maps ads arrive with a strict, private rulebook
Apple's ad policy sets rules for its upcoming Maps ads: one ad per result, on-device data, banned categories. What multi-location brands should know.
Malin Dotevall BanksGoogle says AI Search sends billions of clicks weekly
Google's Nick Fox says AI Search sends billions of weekly clicks to sites, without the data. What it means for local visibility at scale.
Astghik NikoghosyanGoogle Demand Gen adds product feeds and Maps ads
Google's Demand Gen now runs on Google Maps and pulls dynamic ads from product feeds, with automotive feeds next. What multi-location brands can do with it.
Ehsan MousaviMeta Business Agent: what it means for chains at scale
Meta's AI Business Agent answers customers across WhatsApp, Messenger and Instagram. Why a 100-location brand should treat it as governance, not a button.
Marcus OlssonEU orders Google to open Android AI and share search data
The EU's 16 July DMA decisions order Google to open Android AI features to rival assistants and share anonymised search data with rival search engines and chatbots.
Marcus OlssonGoogle turns on local inventory ads by default in Shopping
Google is turning on local inventory ads by default in Shopping campaigns and merging Shopping ads and free listings into one policy. What retailers must do.
Astghik NikoghosyanEU set to fine Google over search self-preferencing
The European Commission is expected to fine Google for search self-preferencing under the Digital Markets Act. What the pending DMA ruling means at scale.
Marcus OlssonGoogle AI Mode shows ads on 1 in 3 commercial queries
A new SE Ranking study finds ads now appear on nearly one in three commercial Google AI Mode queries. What paid AI search means for multi-location brands.
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