Merchynt's Local SEO Blog

How To Track Which Employees Got Google Reviews (And Boost Local SEO at the Same Time)

What if you could automate the process of tracking which team member earned a Google review—without needing spreadsheets, manual scanning, or added effort? You can now see which team members are getting the most reviews—without needing extra software or complex tracking tools. In this post, I’ll show you exactly how to track which employee earned each Google review, include SEO-rich keywords that boost your local rankings, and run employee incentive programs with zero tech hassle.

May 5, 2025

Newsletter

Google Improved Verification Process (Sort Of)

If you’ve recently been asked to reverify your Google Business Profile, you’re not alone. Over the past few weeks, we have seen an increase in people reporting that their Google Business Profiles have been suspended, particularly those in the home services (carpet cleaners, locksmiths, etc.). While Google hasn’t made any big public announcements, it’s clear they’ve been quietly cracking down on questionable business addresses on service business profiles & people using duplicate profiles to cover a wider area.

May 5, 2025

Newsletter

Google Business Profile Posts Are Gone?

If you logged into your Google Business Profile today and thought, “Wait… where did all my posts go?!” you’re not alone. People all around the world have started reporting that their posts are no longer appearing. We’re fairly certain this is just a display bug, and there’s no need to worry.

April 24, 2025

‍Quick Wins for Small Businesses: Improve Your Local SEO in 15 Minutes a Day

Local SEO doesn’t have to be overwhelming or time-consuming. In fact, with just 15 minutes a day, small businesses can significantly improve their visibility on Google Maps and local search. Whether you’re a solo entrepreneur or managing a team, these fast wins—powered by smart local SEO software like Paige—can make a measurable difference in your rankings. This blog will walk you through five daily micro-tasks that help with SEO services, Google My Business optimization, reputation management, and more.

April 22, 2025

How SMBs Can Beat Larger Competitors with Smarter Local SEO Strategies

If you’re a small business owner, you might think it’s impossible to outrank big brands on Google Maps or in local search results. They’ve got bigger budgets, full-time marketing teams, and an army of reviews. In this post, I’ll walk you through the exact steps and tools SMBs are using right now to outrank larger competitors and get found by more customers.

April 15, 2025

Google’s AI Destroys Fake Reviews + Interesting Findings

Google just turned up the heat on fake reviews and not in a subtle way. They’re now using their AI system, Gemini, to sniff out and remove fake and policy-violating reviews (read Google's post). And if you get caught? Google might slap a warning label right on your profile telling the world that your reviews look suspicious. So if you’ve been tempted to take a shady approach to reviews… don’t. Google is strict on reviews because they matter a lot, which we’ve learned a lot about from the ranking data we’ve been studying from Paige, our GBP optimization AI. Here’s our top 3 findings about reviews so you know what really matters according to the data!

April 10, 2025

Newsletter

Google Myth Busters: How Long Does It Take To Rank?

We interrupt your regularly scheduled newsletter full of tips on how to get more customers from Google Maps with a Public Service Announcement. PSA: It takes 4-6 months for most businesses to start ranking higher on Google Maps after starting a new SEO strategy. This isn’t news to us, but it is obvious there are misconceptions in the marketplace about the time it takes to rank a Google Business Profile on Google Maps - shared by shady sales people.

April 3, 2025

How to Grow Your Marketing Agency in 2025 (Even Without a Huge Team)

Hey agency owners 👋 — If you’re wondering how to actually scale your marketing agency in 2025 (and not just bounce from client to client), you’re in the right place. We’ve cracked the code on lead generation and automated fulfillment, and I’m going to show you our exact playbook so you can copy it for your agency. Whether you offer web design, local SEO, social media, or even PPC, this guide will walk you through what’s working to grow fast (without burning out).

March 31, 2025

A Step-by-Step Guide to Creating SEO-Friendly Videos for Your Business

In today’s digital world, short-form videos like Reels and shorts are gaining immense popularity. They are quickly becoming the preferred content for capturing attention and engaging audiences. Even Google is reinforcing this trend by actively encouraging businesses to post videos on their Google Business Profiles. This guide will break down why video marketing is necessary for local SEO, the best affordable tools to create high-quality content, and how Paige—an AI-powered solution—can streamline the entire process for you.

March 25, 2025

The Ultimate Checklist for Keeping Your Online Listings Accurate

Here’s a real story that happened. A Yelp user searched for a smoke shop online and they found one on Yelp. They looked at the business opening hours and decided to take a stroll down to the shop, only to find it closed. Frustrated, they searched for the GBP of the company and left a scathing review. In this blog post, we’ll provide the ultimate checklist for managing online listings and introduce a powerful tool—Paige—that can save you time and effort while boosting your local SEO rankings.

March 21, 2025

Newsletter

The New Secret Weapon for GMB Rankings

Think YouTube is just for influencers and funny pet videos? Think again! If you're not using YouTube to boost your Google Business Profile, you’re missing out on one of the biggest ranking hacks out there. Google loves businesses that use video, and since Google owns YouTube, it rewards those who do. Yet, most local businesses completely overlook it. That’s great news for you because it means an easy way to get ahead of your competitors. Here’s a list we threw together of the top 3 benefits of YouTube posting for your GMB rankings!

March 20, 2025

The Best Local SEO Software for Small Businesses: A Breakdown of the Top Three Options

If you’ve ever wondered what the best local SEO software for small businesses is, you’re in the right place. We get asked this question all the time, so I wanted to break it down and give you the best options available today. I’ll go over two of the most well-known choices in the industry, and then I’ll introduce you to my personal favorite (spoiler alert: it’s something I built, and there’s a reason it’s taking off fast!). So, let’s dive in!

March 14, 2025

Newsletter

Google Drops Hints for GMB Optimization

Google has been dropping some not-so-subtle hints lately. In not one, but TWO of their SMB newsletters in the past couple months, they encouraged businesses to upload videos to their Google Business Profile. Translation: Google wants more videos, and if you give them what they want, they’ll probably reward you in rankings and visibility. Google doesn’t highlight features for no reason. When they push something repeatedly, it’s a clear signal that businesses that take action now will have the upper hand over those who wait.

March 12, 2025

How Customer Reviews Affect Local SEO and Google Business Profile Rankings

When customers leave reviews on your Google Business Profile (GBP), it shows Google that your business is active and trustworthy. This can help improve your local search rankings, making it easier for potential customers to find you on Google Maps and local search results.If you want your business to appear in local searches and the Google Map Pack, you need a strong review strategy. In this post, we’ll explore how customer reviews influence local search visibility and what steps you can take to optimize your GBP for better rankings. You can watch our video on the importance of customer reviews and how to get reviews on auto-pilot for your business. Let’s begin!

March 7, 2025

Newsletter

Google Pushes GMB Reviews for Ranking

If Google could shout one GMB ranking tip from the rooftops, they’d be yelling: “Get more reviews!” and to make sure you do, they’re now generating QR codes for your GMB review page. That means no more hoping customers remember to leave feedback—just show them the QR code, let them scan, and watch the stars roll in. You can access this on desktop by searching for your business, then clicking on "Ask for reviews" or by going to your reviews and clicking on "Get more reviews." But collecting reviews is only half the battle– the reviews also need to be optimized for you to get the most out of them. That’s why we compiled a list of our most important tips to optimize your reviews so you can take it a step further!

March 5, 2025