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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—and why it may not be who you think

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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 clicks
• Forcing Google to predict user behavior with less data
• Increasing the importance of brand, task completion, and engagement signals

For local businesses and SEOs, the takeaway is clear:

👉 Winning now means owning the user journey, driving brand searches, and optimizing for task completion—not just rankings.

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In Part 2, Steve Wiideman joins Greg Sterling and Mike Blumenthal to cut through the AI hype and explain what’s actually working in multi-location SEO today.

Despite growing attention on AI tools and “agentic commerce,” the real drivers of visibility are still foundational: intent-driven content, strong review signals, and brand awareness.

They also explore how zero-click search is changing attribution, why websites are becoming data sources for AI, and what local search will look like in the next 3–5 years.

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