Local SEO and Marketing Q&A Session May 8, 2026

Each week, Greg and Ben answer your questions on digital marketing for local businesses … local search engine optimization (SEO), Google Business Profile, social media, email marketing, websites, online advertising and more. Updates and Questions Google incorporates “expert answer snippets” into their AI overview. Ask.com shuts down. Concerns about GBP suspensions from user account restrictions on the rise. Data from ChatGPT Ads is now available. Why are my GBP posts for weekly events getting rejected by Google? What should I do if a customer threatens to leave negative reviews if they can’t get a discount? How should I structure UTM tracking in GBP? Will adding a UTM to GBP hurt local citation? Do the new guidelines on reviews with names mean that negative reviews with staff names are easier to remove? If I select “custom display name and picture” to leave a review, does that affect all previous and future reviews? If my GBP has been suspended because of an account restriction, is it possible to move forward with the appeal process without removing the account? Did GBP Insights get removed, or is it hidden? Why am I ranking worse after moving locations? What is the going rate for offering SEO services? What is the KPI for success in the SEO field? Links mentioned in this session are available on our website at https://localmarketinginstitute.com

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