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The Near Memo: Daily Summaries Delivered
by Greg Sterling, Mike Blumenthal & David Mihm
Exploring the big stories for the week at the intersection of local business & marketing across the spectrum of search, social and commerce. With Greg Sterling, Mike Blumenthal & David Mihm.
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- 1 weeks ago57 min
From Keyword Rankings to Brand Reverence: The New Local AI SEO Blueprint
Send us Fan Mail In this Duda webinar, Darren Shaw and Mike Blumenthal explore the paradigm shift occurring in local search as Google increasingly incorporates generative AI into Google Business Profiles and Google Maps. Through new features like "Know Before You Go" and the conversational "Ask Maps," local discovery is transitioning from a deterministic ranking model to a highly personalized, context-aware ecosystem. Blumenthal demonstrates how to leverage Ask Maps for deep competitive...
- 2 weeks ago35 min
Google Already Knows Everything About You — And Their New AI Features Make It Worse
Send us Fan Mail Google just revealed the future of Search at Google I/O and Google Marketing Live — and it’s far more personal, predictive, and invasive than most people realize. In this episode of Near Memo, Mike Blumenthal and Greg Sterling break down: A massive fake Google Business Profile fraud case involving 15,000 fake listings and $79 million in alleged fraudHow Google already infers your income, politics, preferences, and buying habits — even WITHOUT opting into “Personal Intelligenc...
- 3 weeks ago49 min
The Death of Keywords: How Google’s Personal Intelligence is defining the future of Local Search
Send us Fan Mail In Part 2 of Near Media’s conversation with Garrett Sussman, the discussion shifts from AI personalization theory to the real-world impact on local search, SEO, reviews, attribution, and marketing strategy. Garrett joins Greg Sterling and Mike Blumenthal to explore how Google’s growing use of behavioral data, Gmail, Calendar, Maps, reviews, and AI Mode could fundamentally reshape local discovery. The group discusses: AI-driven local recommendationsWhy direct mail showed up in...
- 4 weeks ago34 min
How Google’s Personal Intelligence is Quietly Revolutionizing Your Search Results
Send us Fan Mail Is Google getting too personal? In this episode of the Near Memo, Greg Sterling and Mike Blumenthal are joined by Garrett Sussman (iPullRank) to discuss his provocative 12-month study on AI personalization. We dive deep into how Google’s "AI Mode" uses your Gmail, Photos, and Calendar to tailor results—and why "unopened emails" might be influencing what you see next. Subscribe to our newsletters and other content at https://www.nearmedia.co/subscribe/
- May 1, 202640 min
Google Ask Maps Deep Dive: The Future of Local SEO & AI Search
Send us Fan Mail Join our celebrity local SEO panel—Claudia Tomina, Adam Dorfman, and Darren "The Canadian" Shaw—as they explore "Ask Maps," Google’s AI-powered conversational interface for local search. We demo the new desktop UI, discuss how hyper-personalization is changing user behavior, and reveal why "content freshness" is now the most critical strategy for local businesses to stay relevant in an AI-driven world. Subscribe to our newsletters and other content at https://www.nearmedia.co...
- Apr 23, 202633 min
Review Fraud, FTC Fines, and Yelp’s Legal Strike
Send us Fan Mail Greg and Mike discuss the shifting landscape of local search. From the FTC’s latest crackdown on incentivized reviews to Yelp’s attempt to fast-forward their antitrust case against Google using recent federal rulings. We also explore the expansion of LSAs and the transition from the "Local Pack" to AI-driven "Ask Maps." Subscribe to our newsletters and other content at https://www.nearmedia.co/subscribe/
- Apr 16, 202638 min
Google Reviews Crackdown, Meta vs Google, and the AI Search Shift (What Marketers Are Missing)
Send us Fan Mail Google just changed the rules on reviews—and businesses may already be getting penalized. Meanwhile, Meta is projected to overtake Google in ad revenue, despite ongoing legal battles and ethical concerns. In this episode, Mike Blumenthal and Greg Sterling break down: • Google’s new review enforcement signals • Why marketers are frustrated with rising ad costs and unclear ROI • The surprising shift toward AI-driven search (ChatGPT, Ask Maps) • Who actually wins the AI race—a...
- Apr 8, 202628 min
Google Lied About Click Data — Here’s What Actually Drives Rankings in 2026
Send us Fan Mail This episode explores how Google actually uses click data (despite years of denial) and how that reality intersects with the rise of AI Overviews. Cyrus Shepherd connects the dots between antitrust trial revelations, API leaks, and patents, showing that click behavior—especially “last longest click”—is a core ranking signal. The discussion then shifts to how AI Overviews are reshaping search: Reducing traditional clicksForcing Google to predict user behavior with less dataInc...
About The Near Memo
Exploring the big stories for the week at the intersection of local business & marketing across the spectrum of search, social and commerce. With Greg Sterling, Mike Blumenthal & David Mihm.
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