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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.

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Andrew Shotland (Local SEO Guide) and Mark Kabana (Places Scout, now part of Yext) rejoin Greg Sterling and Mike Blumenthal for Part 2 of our conversation. We get into how agencies are turning "AI visibility" into a product, why cli... more

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Andrew Shotland (Local SEO Guide) and Mark Kabana (founder of Places Scout, now VP of Data Innovation at Yext) join Greg Sterling and Mike Blumenthal fresh off Brighton SEO San Diego for an open-agenda conversation: what the confere... more

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Greg Sterling and Mike Blumenthal break down four stories shaping local search and AI discovery. First, a preview of new consumer-journey research Near Media ran for Lastmile Retail (heading to Brighton SEO): search and AI dominate ... more

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The path to a local purchase used to be a straight line. It isn't anymore. Damian Rollison, Senior Director of Market Insights at SOCi, joins Greg Sterling and Mike Blumenthal to unpack SOCi's third annual consumer study and the ide... more

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Recent Guests

Andrew Shotland
Guest, Local SEO Guide
Local SEO Guide
Episode: Why "Position One" Doesn't Exist in Local Anymore (Brighton SEO Recap)
Mark Kabana
Guest, Places Scout / Yext
Yext (formerly Places Scout)
Episode: Why "Position One" Doesn't Exist in Local Anymore (Brighton SEO Recap)
Cyrus Shepard
Founder of Zyppy Marketing, longtime SEO/AI consultant
Zyppy Marketing
Episode: Cyrus Shepard Interview: What "Local Brand" Actually Means to Google and AI
Michael Atleson
Former FTC senior attorney; AI and consumer protection specialist
DLA Piper (AI and data analytics practice)
Episode: Ep. 262: Regulating the Digital Wild West: Inside the FTC’s Battle Against Review Fraud and AI Deception with Michael Atleson
Craig Burton
Guest from the greater Bangkok metropolitan area in Thailand, with local SEO and marketing background
Episode: Google Maps' AI Shift: Why Brand Building, Reviews & Social Presence Are the New Local SEO
Krystal Taing
Guest, industry expert on local SEO and brand strategy
Episode: Goodbye Traffic, Hello Sales: The New Playbook for Local SEO Visibility
Cindy Krum
Marketing expert and speaker
Mobile Moxie (as discussed)
Episode: What Does I/O Mean for Marketers with Cindy Krum, Gregg Gifford & Krystal Tang - Part 1
Gregg Gifford
Local search and digital marketing strategist
Bluerain Consulting (as discussed)
Episode: What Does I/O Mean for Marketers with Cindy Krum, Gregg Gifford & Krystal Tang - Part 1
Mike Blumenthal
Co-founder of Near Media; godfather of local SEO
Near Media
Episode: From Keyword Rankings to Brand Reverence: The New Local AI SEO Blueprint

Hosts

Greg Sterling
Host of The Near Memo; focuses on local search, technology, and marketing trends.
Mike Blumenthal
Co-host; renowned local search veteran and co-host of discussions on AI in local search.

Reviews

5.0 out of 5 stars from 10 ratings
  • Unravel Local Business Marketing with The Near Memo

    Greg, Mike, and David masterfully navigate the convergence of local business, marketing, and tech in The Near Memo. It's a weekly must listen with of invaluable insights for anyone looking to stay on top of the latest in local digital marketing.

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    TrackGeekMTL
    United States3 years ago
  • Relevant, timely insights on local search

    With this podcast, now it’s easier for me to stay up to date on the local search industry with its constant mergers, product updates, and evolving consumer behaviors. The hosts keep it fun and casual while explaining the history and context behind industry trends. I appreciate the different types of formats (email, podcast, blog).

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    Caroline Ngu.
    United States5 years ago
  • For local digital marketing news/insight, put this on your shortlist

    It's a privilege to listen in as these three veterans of local digital marketing riff on a handful of cherry-picked industry news stories each week. The episodes are short but substantive. And the format brings both range and relevance. The Near Memo highlights some of the most interesting and important developments in local: moves by big tech monoliths, rising new entrants in the market, and just interesting new data that comes to light. If you're going to listen to one podcast in this space, ... more

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    Jonathan C. Hall
    United States5 years ago
  • Great coverage of local digital landscape

    It’s hard to get better hosts than Mike, David and Greg for the topic of local search, social and commerce. All experienced industry thought leaders. Easy flow and great range of sources each episode. If you want to plug into the direction of local and digital, subscribe now.

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    AaronWeiche
    United States6 years ago

Listeners Say

Key themes from listener reviews, highlighting what works and what could be improved about the show.

The hosts mix industry lore with data-driven commentary, keeping things relatable and current.
Guests offer hands-on expertise that translates into actionable strategies for brands and agencies.
These insights help understand the evolving local search landscape for practical, real-world tactics.
The format stays concise and focused on trends, with credible context from experienced practitioners.

Chart Rankings

How this podcast ranks in the Apple Podcasts, Spotify and YouTube charts.

Apple Podcasts
#225
United States/News/Tech News
Apple Podcasts
#200
United Kingdom/News/Tech News
Apple Podcasts
#167
Australia/News/Tech News
Apple Podcasts
#82
Ireland/News/Tech News
Apple Podcasts
#108
Russia/News/Tech News
Apple Podcasts
#115
Israel/News/Tech News

Talking Points

Recent interactions between the hosts and their guests.

Part 1: Barnacle SEO in the AI Era: Will Scott on Leveraging AI for Search & ChatGPT Visibility
Q: Will, can you coin Barnacle SEO and explain what that means, and what it implies in an AI world?
Barnacle SEO originated from securing numerous local listings across multiple platforms to ensure visibility when engines pull data from diverse sources; in an AI world, it expands to ensuring a business is well developed across a spectrum of AI sources (not just traditional directories), including video, social, and professional networks, so AI engines can reliably reference authoritative, well-distributed signals.
The Death of Keywords: How Google’s Personal Intelligence is defining the future of Local Search
Q: What should marketers start measuring going forward in a world of personal intelligence?
Measure in layers: first ensure your own data is discoverable and accurate (Google Business Profile), then track visibility and citations across AI and traditional search, and finally tie everything to business outcomes like leads and revenue, recognizing that attribution will become more complex.
How Google’s Personal Intelligence is Quietly Revolutionizing Your Search Results
Q: How did the 12-month Profound study structure its experiments, and what were the key findings about explicit context?
The study created four personas and tested product recommendations across eight AI platforms for 12 months with over 100,000 prompts, showing that explicit context (income, job, etc.) significantly shifts recommendations and changes the tone of AI output, implying strong brand and audience implications.
How Google’s Personal Intelligence is Quietly Revolutionizing Your Search Results
Q: What was the highest-level takeaway from Garrett's presentation on personalization and AI search?
Personalization in AI search is growing rapidly, and explicit context plus implicit signals from a user's data shape outcomes in ways that require marketers to rethink content strategy and measurement, while acknowledging concerns about privacy and trust.
AI & Local Business: How AI Is Rewriting Location Management; Interview with Ana Martinez, P2
Q: How do you manage the uncertainty of AI-driven customer journeys and communicate ROI to clients?
Start with solid data hygiene and local SEO fundamentals, monitor AI performance, and use a decision-tree approach to adapt content and strategies based on the data and outcomes you care about.

Audience Metrics

Listeners, social reach, demographics and more for this podcast.

Listeners per Episode
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Location
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Frequently Asked Questions About The Near Memo

What is The Near Memo about and what kind of topics does it cover?

The show centers on local business, marketing, and search, with frequent deep dives into local SEO, consumer data, AI-enabled discovery, and platform governance. Episodes often feature a mix of industry veterans and tech/policy experts debating current shifts in Google Maps, GBP/Ask Maps, review integrity, and the evolving role of AI in discovery and advertising. Notable strengths include practical, battleground-level tactics for local brands, a steady stream of data-driven insights, and candid assessments of regulatory and platform changes. The format tends to blend regulatory context, hands-on optimization tips, and strategic perspectives, making it valuable for agencies, brands, and practitioners navigating AI, local search, and omnichan... more

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Which podcasts are similar to The Near Memo?

These podcasts share a similar audience with The Near Memo:

1. The Whitespark Local Update
2. Local SEO - The Expert’s Guide
3. AI Explored
4. The Game with Alex Hormozi
5. The Startup Ideas Podcast

How many episodes of The Near Memo are there?

The Near Memo launched 6 years ago and published 280 episodes to date. You can find more information about this podcast including rankings, audience demographics and engagement in our podcast database.

How do I contact The Near Memo?

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What guests have appeared on The Near Memo?

Recent guests on The Near Memo include:

1. Andrew Shotland
2. Mark Kabana
3. Cyrus Shepard
4. Michael Atleson
5. Craig Burton
6. Krystal Taing
7. Cindy Krum
8. Gregg Gifford

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