Here are 4 major local SEO updates you missed from the last 3 months 👇️ | 1. “Tell Maps” is here | "Tell Maps is Google’s newest AI feature that allows users to tell Google about a local business (e.g., “this bakery is known for its canelés”). | If enough people use this feature to tell Google about your business, Google may pick up on it and use it as a relevance signal in search and AI results. | 2. Google Posts analytics | If you go to your Google Business Profile and click Posts, you’ll now see a view count on each Post. Now, instead of guessing which Posts are getting attention, you can see exactly what’s working and do more of it. | 3. LSAs will charge you for unanswered phone calls | Google’s Local Services Ads will now charge you for leads even if you don’t answer your phone. Google’s money grab continues to escalate on a scale previously unseen. | 4. Social media analytics in GSC | Businesses worldwide can now track how their Instagram, TikTok, YouTube, and X content performs across Google Search, Discover, and Google News. To connect your account: | Open Search Console Click the property selector Select “Add property” Choose your social platform Follow the verification steps
| Read about 19 more important local search developments in Miriam Ellis’s Q3 2026 Roundup, now live on the Whitespark blog 👇️ | | | |  | Try the rank tracker that you’ll actually love using Is your geo-grid rank tracker delightful? If you’re not using Local Ranking Grids, we think you’re missing out. Our tool respects your time and attention, putting everything you want to know at your fingertips, without overwhelming you with a messy UI, or burying useful data 12 clicks deep. |
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| | Darren | | P.S. Whitespark can help you ⬇️
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