The Near Memo Podcast By Greg Sterling Mike Blumenthal & David Mihm cover art

The Near Memo

The Near Memo

By: Greg Sterling Mike Blumenthal & David Mihm
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Exploring the big stories for the week at the intersection of local business & marketing across the spectrum of search, social and commerce. With Greg Sterling, Mike Blumenthal & David Mihm.

© 2026 The Near Memo
Economics Leadership Management & Leadership Marketing Marketing & Sales Politics & Government
Episodes
  • AI, Reviews & Intent Pages: What Actually Drives Multi-Location SEO Now (Part 2)
    Apr 2 2026

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    In Part 2, Steve Wiideman joins Greg Sterling and Mike Blumenthal to cut through the AI hype and explain what’s actually working in multi-location SEO today.

    Despite growing attention on AI tools and “agentic commerce,” the real drivers of visibility are still foundational: intent-driven content, strong review signals, and brand awareness.

    They also explore how zero-click search is changing attribution, why websites are becoming data sources for AI, and what local search will look like in the next 3–5 years.


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    28 mins
  • Multi-Location SEO: What Actually Works (And What Doesn’t) Part 1
    Mar 26 2026

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    What does it really take to scale SEO across hundreds (or thousands) of locations?

    In this episode of the Near Memo, Greg Sterling and Mike Blumenthal are joined by Steve Wiideman to unpack the operational, strategic, and technical realities of multi-location SEO.

    They explore testing frameworks, content strategies, franchise challenges, reviews, imagery, and the evolving nature of search behavior.

    If you manage local SEO at scale, this is a must-listen.

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    26 mins
  • State of Google Business Profile 2026: Impressions Are Down 54%—But Actions Aren’t
    Mar 18 2026

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    Google Business Profile impressions are dropping fast—but conversions aren’t.

    In this Near Memo episode, Greg Sterling, Mike Blumenthal, and Adam Dorfman unpack BirdEye’s latest data and explore what’s really changing in local search.

    From AI Overviews and LLM-driven discovery to Google’s new Ask Maps interface, they examine how search behavior is shifting—and why Google still controls the final decision point.

    They also dig into:

    • Category vs brand search behavior
    • Industry-level engagement differences
    • The evolving role of reviews in AI-driven results
    • Apple Maps as a quiet challenger

    If you’re trying to understand how AI is reshaping local SEO, this episode connects the dots.

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    39 mins
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