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Latest Local SEO Articles

How Agencies Use Paige to Handle 50+ Google Business Profiles Without Missing a Beat

Managing a single Google Business Profile (GBP) is already a lot. But managing 50 or more? That could be back-breaking. In this blog post, you’ll learn how local SEO agencies use Paige’s white-label platform, bulk dashboard, and automation features to streamline operations, boost search engine rankings, and deliver consistent results to dozens (or hundreds) of clients simultaneously.

May 30, 2025

Local SEO

The $500 Question You're Too Afraid to Ask

Getting reviews is half the battle when it comes to ranking higher on Google Maps. You probably know by now that we talk about this all the time, and that’s because it’s true. Reviews don’t just build trust — they’re one of the biggest signals Google uses to decide if your business deserves to show up before your competitor across town. But even though reviews are this important, most businesses are still struggling to get them.

May 28, 2025

Rankings & Heatmaps

The Hidden Problem with 24/7 Heatmaps—and How We Fixed It

If you're using a heatmap tool to track your local SEO rankings, there's a hidden problem most people don’t realize: timing. Most heatmap tools run reports around the clock—midnight, 2 AM, 4:30 AM—whenever their system happens to be free. And while that might seem efficient, it’s actually giving you skewed, unrealistic data that doesn’t reflect how your business actually performs during the hours that matter. At Merchynt, we realized this flaw was hurting agency partners and business owners alike. So, we built a smarter solution into Paige—our AI-powered local SEO software—to fix it.

May 26, 2025

AI & Automation

Google Killed Your Website In New AI Mode

If you thought you had Google Business Profile rankings figured out, buckle up. Google just dropped its brand-new “AI Mode” for search, and it’s going to change how people find local businesses forever. This is one of those updates where, if you’ve been putting off optimizing your Google Business Profile, now is the time to really take it seriously... unless you’d rather be invisible to your next customer. We threw together a checklist on your profile to ensure you’re ready for this update, but first, here’s what’s new. Google launched its AI Mode as part of Google Search (yes, a replacement for the Google Search you’ve loved all these years). If you search for local businesses, Google AI shows some options in a list format, but when you click on a business, Google now shows their Google Business Profile instead of their website! Boom. Adios websites, hello Google Business Profiles.

May 21, 2025

White Label Agency

The Best Way to Run Ads for Your Marketing Agency (Backed by $500K+ in Ad Spend)

If you’ve ever run paid ads for your agency and walked away feeling like you just threw money into a black hole, you’re not alone. Here at Merchynt, we’ve spent hundreds of thousands of dollars testing every major ad platform to grow our business, promote our local SEO software Paige, and support thousands of agency partners. In this post, I’m breaking down the pros, cons, and cold facts about where your ad dollars actually work, and which ones just burn your budget. Whether you're selling managed local SEO services, Google My Business optimization, or SaaS, this breakdown will save you money and help you grow.

May 16, 2025

Newsletter

GBP is Turning Into Social Media?

Google just dropped a new feature for Google Business Profiles called “What’s Happening”, and spoiler alert: it looks a lot like a social media feed. This section pulls in your posts (from GBP and other social media), offers, and events and puts them front and center so customers can see what’s new at your business. Potential customers will easily be able to see that you have live music tonight and what today’s special is. In other words, Google is handing you free marketing real estate that will bring you more customers... but only if you use it. If your last post was from 2024, it’s officially time to dust things off. The feature is only currently available for restaurants, but we expect it to be rolled out for many other business types.

May 14, 2025

AI in Local SEO: What SMBs Need to Know About the Next Big Thing

Local SEO has changed—again. And this time, it’s being reshaped by something bigger than algorithm updates or review strategies: artificial intelligence. For small and mid-sized businesses (SMBs), the question isn’t whether AI will affect local search engine optimization—it’s how to use it to your advantage. The businesses that embrace AI now will outrank, outperform, and outscale their competitors in the years ahead.

May 12, 2025

Newsletter

New GBP Update That Could Stop Suspensions

Google just rolled out a new feature where they notify you via email when an edit to your Google Business Profile gets rejected. So instead of silently swatting down your changes behind the scenes, Google will now tell you when and why your edit didn’t make the cut. This new update applies to edits made to your business name, categories, address, phone number, hours, and more – basically, all the important stuff. You’ll get a handy email explaining which edit was rejected and a chance to appeal the decision.

May 8, 2025

Local SEO

Google Improved Verification Process (Sort Of)

If you’ve recently been asked to reverify your Google Business Profile, you’re not alone. Over the past few weeks, we have seen an increase in people reporting that their Google Business Profiles have been suspended, particularly those in the home services (carpet cleaners, locksmiths, etc.). While Google hasn’t made any big public announcements, it’s clear they’ve been quietly cracking down on questionable business addresses on service business profiles & people using duplicate profiles to cover a wider area.

May 5, 2025

Review Management

How To Track Which Employees Got Google Reviews (And Boost Local SEO at the Same Time)

What if you could automate the process of tracking which team member earned a Google review—without needing spreadsheets, manual scanning, or added effort? You can now see which team members are getting the most reviews—without needing extra software or complex tracking tools. In this post, I’ll show you exactly how to track which employee earned each Google review, include SEO-rich keywords that boost your local rankings, and run employee incentive programs with zero tech hassle.

May 5, 2025

Newsletter

Google Business Profile Posts Are Gone?

If you logged into your Google Business Profile today and thought, “Wait… where did all my posts go?!” you’re not alone. People all around the world have started reporting that their posts are no longer appearing. We’re fairly certain this is just a display bug, and there’s no need to worry.

April 24, 2025

‍Quick Wins for Small Businesses: Improve Your Local SEO in 15 Minutes a Day

Local SEO doesn’t have to be overwhelming or time-consuming. In fact, with just 15 minutes a day, small businesses can significantly improve their visibility on Google Maps and local search. Whether you’re a solo entrepreneur or managing a team, these fast wins—powered by smart local SEO software like Paige—can make a measurable difference in your rankings. This blog will walk you through five daily micro-tasks that help with SEO services, Google My Business optimization, reputation management, and more.

April 22, 2025

How SMBs Can Beat Larger Competitors with Smarter Local SEO Strategies

If you’re a small business owner, you might think it’s impossible to outrank big brands on Google Maps or in local search results. They’ve got bigger budgets, full-time marketing teams, and an army of reviews. In this post, I’ll walk you through the exact steps and tools SMBs are using right now to outrank larger competitors and get found by more customers.

April 15, 2025

Review Management

Google’s AI Destroys Fake Reviews + Interesting Findings

Google just turned up the heat on fake reviews and not in a subtle way. They’re now using their AI system, Gemini, to sniff out and remove fake and policy-violating reviews (read Google's post). And if you get caught? Google might slap a warning label right on your profile telling the world that your reviews look suspicious. So if you’ve been tempted to take a shady approach to reviews… don’t. Google is strict on reviews because they matter a lot, which we’ve learned a lot about from the ranking data we’ve been studying from Paige, our GBP optimization AI. Here’s our top 3 findings about reviews so you know what really matters according to the data!

April 10, 2025

Local SEO

Google Myth Busters: How Long Does It Take To Rank?

We interrupt your regularly scheduled newsletter full of tips on how to get more customers from Google Maps with a Public Service Announcement. PSA: It takes 4-6 months for most businesses to start ranking higher on Google Maps after starting a new SEO strategy. This isn’t news to us, but it is obvious there are misconceptions in the marketplace about the time it takes to rank a Google Business Profile on Google Maps - shared by shady sales people.

April 3, 2025