This week covers Google’s new post view counts for Google Business Profiles, a critical scam involving fake phone numbers in Google Maps photos, how to optimize citations for better AI visibility, a comprehensive strategy for local businesses to build AI search visibility, and a deep dive into the 72 ranking signals influencing Google Maps.
This Week’s Top Stories:
- Google Adds Post View Counts To Business Profiles: Local businesses and their marketing partners can now see combined view counts for Google Business Profile posts from Search and Maps, providing a direct metric to evaluate content performance and refine strategies. Source
- Google Maps Phone Number in Photo Scam: A new scam sees malicious actors uploading AI-generated photos with fake phone numbers to legitimate Google Business Profiles, potentially diverting customers to scammers. Businesses must vigilantly monitor their GBP photos. Source
- 2026 Playbook: How to Optimize Citations for AI Visibility: Citations are gaining renewed importance as AI tools rely on structured and unstructured third-party sources for local business recommendations. Focus on quality citations from high-ranking sites to influence AI. Source
- How Local Businesses Can Build Visibility In AI Search: A holistic approach combining optimized listings, strong review profiles, consistent brand mentions, and active social media is crucial for local businesses to gain recommendations and visibility within AI search platforms. Source
- Inside Google Maps: 72 Ranking Signals and the Architecture Behind Local Search: New data reveals 72 distinct ranking signals powering Google Maps and local search, offering unprecedented detail into how entities, web signals, proximity, and semantic systems determine local visibility. Source