Mike Blumenthal

In one of a long line of recent (and approaching spammy) GMB related emails, Google has started sending out emails educating owners of verified businesses that they can now “Meet your new dashboard on Google Search” When clicking the email call to action it takes the user to interact with the new(ish) mini dashboard visible …

LocalU Advanced is rapidly approaching. Its only a few weeks away and the seats are filling. It should be a great event with incredible speakers and sponsors. Speakers include Joy Hawkins, Darren Shaw, Joel Headley (ex Googler), Marissa Nordahl (Google) and myself amongst many others. We have 14 speakers overall. Sponsors include ZipSprout, Moz Local, …

It’s beem a while since I have posted to the Google Spam Hall of Shame. It’s not that there is any less of it or that it is less obvious, its just that I have been busy on other projects. But I couldn’t resist this example of systemic name abuse occurring in the jewelry business …

Google has announced the release of V 4.0 of the Google My Business API. While there are a number of new  features, the most notable is the ability for 3rd Party platforms to now post Google Posts on for the businesses using the platform. The API currently supports posting for any business with fewer than 10 …

It’s been a blast building GetFiveStars. One of the things that I love the most is the support I get for projects like this new ebook. As you probably know while I think its important to “optimize your review process” I think it’s even more important for you to “optimize your business”. Every process, not …

Bedlam Coffee hit the news with a media frenzy over the owner ejecting Christian activists from his coffee shop. (To preview their Q & A on the desktop use this URL:  https://goo.gl/dkwi6h). With this event we have learned three things about Google Q & A: 1- It’s a $h!tstorm when a business gets into the …

From a management point of view, one of the more annoying attributes of the new Google Questions & Answers product is that it is only live on Android via Google Maps and  in mobile browsers on iOS and Android. There is a are several hacks to allow you to see and respond to this feature …

Earlier this week, Jack Thumser of August Ash in Bloomington, emailed me about an significant uptick in Google Maps Insight’s views in a number of his Google  local listings. Michael Wallace of TallWave noted the same issue on Twitter today. Jack’s result were across Office furniture stores, grocery stores, a grocery delivery service and a sheet …

Here are some of my other writings, videos etc around the web: Something Amazing Happened On The Way To A Google Review – Google’s Question and Answers is a scary thing but when you have a great business and are asking your customers from reviews, good things can happen. Video: Last Week in Local September …

Local U Advanced is my favorite conference of the year. Not that I speak, or even that I contribute to the organization but because it’s a time and place where folks that are really interested in Local SEO and Local Marketing get together. And not just get together in a spirit of collegiality and sharing. …