Video: Last Week in Local – Jan 14, 2019

Mike Blumenthal

Mike: By the numbers:

• Between 1990 and 2017, the number of nail salons for every 100,000 Americans nearly tripled, from fewer than two to nearly seven.
• Pet grooming surged by one-and-a-half-times, and cosmetics almost doubled.

Mike: As customers move through the Kroger’s aisles, digital price tags will light up with a personalized icon that signifies an item on their shopping list. Provides a guided shopping experience. Using either an app, or one of Kroger’s existing “Scan, Bag, Go” terminals, customers are directed around a store to find the items on their shopping list.

Mike: Analyst is worried about Yelp for three reasons, according to his note:

• The risk that ad buyers spend less as a result of the company’s shift away from long-term contracts, a move that was intended to made the service more attractive to new advertisers
• Advertisers see Alphabet (GOOGL)-owned Google or Facebook (FB) as a more cost-effective means of reaching customers online; and
• A shrinking user base could compound everything else. Another possible way forward for Yelp: a sale.

Mike: Baking Assistant into Google Maps provides more exposure of Assistant to iPhone users. A trojan horse of sorts as Google reaches a billion devices that support Assistant.

Mike: This article debunks the category myth that having multiple categories reduces visibility. Joy also points out that primary category is critical so pick it carefully.

Mary: Carrie Hill takes us through the process of deciding which Google category is best for a business.

Mary: Reviews are a conversation. Anything your customers what to tell you is worth listening to. And if you’re paying someone to get iffy reviews for your business, you’re part of the problem!

Mary: Ben Fisher gives us the tweets from all the GMB Product Experts (formerly Top Contributors) in one stream.

Carrie: Product retailers who are small and might not use an inventory system or the Google Merchant API can now add their inventory to GMB via the new products dashboard.

Carrie: This is a great article for anyone creating content or content strategies in 2019. Specifically important in my mind is the information on linking content hubs and topics together to form a strong support for your new content!

Carrie: This is really just a case study in what NOT to do when replying to online reviews.  Not only was it rude and uncalled for – this business owner has basically ruined their brand.  Stop, think, breathe, and if you can’t respond without emotion, as someone else to do it in your place.