Coming Thursday: 2025 GBP study for automotive

This week I’m keeping it short and sweet because something huge is about to drop. On Thursday we are unveiling the 2025 edition of our Automotive Google Business Profile Study, the largest SEO research project in the car dealer world.

We dug into more than 2,200 dealership profiles and analyzed over 150 data points to uncover which SEO tactics really move the needle in search results. The results are bigger and better than ever, with a cleaner study page that is easier to digest. And for those of you who want to dive deeper, I have added a downloadable PDF filled with extra insights you will not find on the site.

So get ready. Thursday morning the study goes live on the SearchLab site, and we will be sharing it all over social media. Until then, consider this your teaser

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SearchLab Wins Another 2025 US Search Award 🎉

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Tips for Local SEO: LocalU in Nashville

I just got back from fantastic trip LocalU in Nashville, where I asked some of the smartest local search experts to share their best quick tips. In this episode of Local Search Tuesdays, I’m bringing you the highlights so you can pick up a few new tricks to improve your digital marketing. Check it out!

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Coming soon 2025 Automotive GBP study

In this episode of Local Search Tuesdays, I’m giving you a quick preview of something big we’re about to release: the 2025 Google Business Profile study for car dealers.

On September 25th, we’ll be publishing the largest automotive SEO study ever done. We looked at thousands of dealer profiles across 20 major cities and analyzed over 150 data points for each one. The goal was to see which factors really make a difference in local rankings and how top dealers compare to those further down the list.

The results cover everything from categories and reviews to photos, website setup, and technical details. If you work in automotive, these insights will help you understand what’s actually working in local search right now.

Check out this teaser, and keep an eye out for the full study release, it’s going to be a game changer for dealerships in 2025.

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Key Insights from Live Google Business Profile Audits with Greg Gifford

Recently, our COO and Google Business Profile (GBP) Platinum Product Expert, Greg Gifford, hosted a live webinar session where he audited real dealership listings and websites in real time. The goal was to uncover common mistakes, share quick wins, and highlight best practices that local businesses, especially car dealers, can apply to their own digital presence.

Scroll on to see the most important takeaways and the transcript of the session:

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Shift from link building to mention building

This week on Local Search Tuesdays, I’m sharing a tip to help you prepare for the future of AI search. While AI search hasn’t hit local yet, it’s coming, and the big shift will be moving from link building to mention building. Mentions of your business on other sites seem to matter more than links in AI results. Don’t ditch link building since it is still critical for Google traffic, but start layering in mention building so you are ready when AI search plays a bigger role.

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GBP Categories for car dealer sales profiles

This week on Local Search Tuesdays, I’m breaking down the right way for car dealers to choose Google Business Profile categories. Your primary category is the top local ranking factor, but too many dealerships are getting it wrong.

Our latest research found 121 different categories in use, and a lot of them don’t belong on a sales profile. In this episode, I share the correct categories dealers should select so you can boost visibility and avoid costly mistakes.

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How to appeal a suspended Google Business Profile

My Google Business Profile suspension guide is here! In this episode of Local Search Tuesdays, I walk you through the exact steps to fix a suspended Google Business Profile and how to submit a successful reinstatement appeal. I’ll explain why suspensions happen, the biggest mistakes businesses make, what evidence Google requires, and how to avoid wasting your chance at reinstatement. If your GBP got suspended, this video will show you how to get your listing back and stay compliant with Google’s guidelines.

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Boost visibility in AI Searches: Diversify reviews

This week on Local Search Tuesdays, I’m breaking down why customer reviews should be front and center in your AI search strategy. Reviews have always been huge for Local SEO, but with AI systems analyzing sentiment and looking for diverse content, they’re more important than ever. And it’s not just about Google or Yelp anymore—review diversity across multiple sites could be the secret to staying visible in AI-driven results.

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What Google’s AI Changes Mean for Your Local Search Visibility

There’s been a lot of noise lately about AI taking over the search world — ChatGPT, Perplexity, Gemini — and whether you, as a business, should be throwing all your efforts into these platforms.

But here’s the reality: Google is still king. Let’s break down the data and what it means for your strategy.

People Still Trust Traditional Search Engines

According to Yext’s AI Search Archetypes report:

  • 57% of people (across age brackets and continents) prefer traditional search engines for personal, medical, and financial research.

  • 48% verify answers across multiple platforms, even if they use AI tools like ChatGPT or Perplexity.

  • Only 19% trust AI-generated answers vs. 45% who trust search engines.

That means, when it comes to trust and decision-making, search engines still have the edge.

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